Zimbabwe Former Vice President Granted Bail in Bulawayo Court

(Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe’s former vice president, Phelekezela Mphoko, was granted bail Wednesday after he appeared in court in the country’s second-largest city, Bulawayo, on charges of unlawfully using his influence to secure the release of officials held in police custody.

Mphoko was released on Z$1,000 bail ($100) and ordered to surrender his passport. He was charged by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

Mphoko lost his job when former President Robert Mugabe was ousted in November 2017. He is the second high-ranking official charged by the anti-corruption body in two months. Last month, officials arrested tourism minister Prisca Mupfumira after accusing her of misusing about $94 million of state funds.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ray Ndlovu in Johannesburg at rndlovu1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alastair Reed at areed12@bloomberg.net, ;Brian Latham at blatham@bloomberg.net, Jacqueline Mackenzie

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