Bulawayo deputy mayor arrested for US$52k extortion

Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu and two city councillors appeared in court on Friday over an extortion charge. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) alleges the trio demanded US$52,000 from a businessman for a hotel lease on city property. Prosecutors say the councillors sought payment for a 50-year lease on a hotel development. Ndlovu, along with Ward 28 Councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu and former Ward 22 Councillor Rodney Jele, face corruption charges. Local business confidence hinges on whether such high-profile arrests translate into prosecutions and convictions.