BULAWAYO’S flashy party king Gary Bell has been jailed for drug dealing following a dramatic Valentine’s Day bust that shocked the city’s elite. The 42-year-old Burnside resident, known for his lavish lifestyle and nightlife connections, was sentenced to an effective one year behind bars after being found guilty of dealing cocaine and ecstasy.
Bell was convicted by Bulawayo regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza, who handed him an 18-month sentence, with six months suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The high-profile case drew intense public attention after detectives from the Harare CID Drugs and Narcotics swooped on Bell following a tip-off that he was peddling cocaine at The Smokehouse, one of Bulawayo’s most exclusive nightspots.
On 14 February, at around 6AM, officers received intelligence that Bell was set to deliver a stash. A covert surveillance mission kicked off, culminating in his arrest shortly after midnight on 15 February as he arrived at the venue in a silver Toyota double cab.
A search at his Burnside home unearthed damning evidence. Hidden in a blue jewellery box inside a bedroom wardrobe was a sachet of white powder, later confirmed to be cocaine. Officers also seized two digital scales and several razor blades laced with residue—classic tools of the drug trade.
Preliminary tests pegged the cocaine at about six grams with a street value of US$480. Ecstasy tablets worth US$60 were also recovered.
Bell, who had been free on bail, was represented by lawyer Shepherd Chamunorwa. He denied the charges and claimed the drugs were planted. He further alleged that police violated his rights and illegally searched his property.
Prosecutor Dominic Moyo said the evidence was overwhelming and procedures had been followed. The court ruled that the State had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Bell now swaps club lights for cell bars, ending his glamorous nightlife in the most sobering way possible.
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