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Bulawayo socialite Gary Bell released on bail pending appeal
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Convicted Bulawayo drug dealer Gary Bell has been released from prison after the High Court granted him US$500 bail pending appeal.
Bell, a well-known socialite, was sentenced last month to 18 months in jail for drug possession following a Valentine's Day sting operation, during which police recovered cocaine, ecstasy, digital scales, and other paraphernalia at his Burnside home. Six months of his sentence had been suspended.
Justice Mposeni Dube freed Bell after the State acknowledged that the magistrate had failed to provide reasons for the custodial sentence. Prosecutor Kenneth Shava noted that offenders sentenced to 24 months or less are typically considered for fines or community service. "The main factors in bail pending appeal are the chances of success, the risk of absconding, and the individual's right to liberty," he said.
Bell, 42, was apprehended earlier this year after a police swoop at a posh Bulawayo pub, following a tip-off. The arrest, which uncovered drugs with a street value of over US$500, shocked the city's party scene, with Bell accused of fuelling local cocaine use.
Bell's lawyer, Shepherd Chamunorwa, maintains that the drugs were planted and police procedures were mishandled. Bell has vowed to clear his name, with the outcome of the appeal set to determine whether he avoids further jail time.
Bell, a well-known socialite, was sentenced last month to 18 months in jail for drug possession following a Valentine's Day sting operation, during which police recovered cocaine, ecstasy, digital scales, and other paraphernalia at his Burnside home. Six months of his sentence had been suspended.
Justice Mposeni Dube freed Bell after the State acknowledged that the magistrate had failed to provide reasons for the custodial sentence. Prosecutor Kenneth Shava noted that offenders sentenced to 24 months or less are typically considered for fines or community service. "The main factors in bail pending appeal are the chances of success, the risk of absconding, and the individual's right to liberty," he said.
Bell, 42, was apprehended earlier this year after a police swoop at a posh Bulawayo pub, following a tip-off. The arrest, which uncovered drugs with a street value of over US$500, shocked the city's party scene, with Bell accused of fuelling local cocaine use.
Bell's lawyer, Shepherd Chamunorwa, maintains that the drugs were planted and police procedures were mishandled. Bell has vowed to clear his name, with the outcome of the appeal set to determine whether he avoids further jail time.
Source - B-Metro
