Zimbabwe Judges slam greedy leadership

High Court judges Justices Munamato Mutevedzi and Naison Chivayo have condemned corrupt and self-serving leadership while upholding the conviction and sentence of former Victoria Falls mayor Somveli Dhlamini. 

Dhlamini, who is serving a three-year sentence for fraud and criminal abuse of office related to the allocation of residential stands, had his appeal dismissed, with the judges highlighting his greed and betrayal of public trust.
"The people of Victoria Falls did not deserve him as their leader. The country does not deserve leaders who are so greedy as to only think about themselves," the judges declared in their ruling.

Dhlamini was convicted of fraudulently obtaining a residential stand under the Wood Road Residential Scheme in Victoria Falls by misrepresenting himself as Valentine Munyaradzi Maseko, who had not applied for the scheme. Despite knowing he was ineligible, Dhlamini manipulated the system to acquire stand number 1771 Wood Road in a scheme designed for legitimate applicants.

The court heard that Dhlamini's actions demonstrated a calculated and premeditated effort to defraud the council, betraying the trust of the residents he was elected to serve.

"For more than four years, the appellant's mind raced around how he could acquire public land which he was not entitled to," the judges noted.

Dhlamini argued that his three-year sentence was overly harsh and induced a sense of shock. However, the High Court rejected this claim, stating that the punishment was in fact lenient.

"There is, in our considered view, nothing that induces a sense of shock with the sentence imposed. If anything, what is shocking is the leniency of it," the judges said.

The court also dismissed Dhlamini's argument that council officials involved in the vetting process knew him personally, ruling that this did not absolve him of criminal liability.

In their scathing judgment, the judges emphasized the need for accountability among public officials and warned against expectations of preferential treatment for those in positions of power.

"Those who defraud public institutions which they lead must not expect to be treated differently from those charged with criminal abuse of office or any other form of corruption. He was a cunning character who showed brazen criminal resolve to perpetrate the offence," the judges ruled.

Dhlamini's conviction and sentence serve as a stern reminder of the judiciary's commitment to addressing corruption in public office and safeguarding the trust of citizens. The case underscores the importance of ethical leadership in public institutions, particularly in towns like Victoria Falls, where residents rely on their leaders to prioritize public welfare over personal gain.