The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
VICTORIA Falls Municipality has filed fresh charges against suspended Housing and Community Services director Lot Siatimbula after new evidence was found that he had allegedly allocated a stand to two different people.
Siatimbula was suspended on 14 February, after he allegedly allocated to his relative Mr Sena Mumpande, stand Number 1585 measuring 3 300 square metres, at 25 percent of all costs without council approval.
Mr Mumpande joined council as a general hand in May last year and was not eligible for the 25 percent incentive meant for officials who would have served for two years. Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube told Sunday News on Thursday that new evidence unearthed by the council showed that Siatimbula had allocated the same property to Mr Dave Glynn, the proprietor of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
“We got letters from Mr Glynn and we have sent them to the police for further investigation,” said Mr Dube.
The e-mail which Sunday News is in possession of reads in part: “I am confirming that, via my son-in-law whilst I have been away, Mr Brendan Quinn, we have been negotiating to purchase the above stands. The stands were indicated to us by the Housing Director Mr Mumpande who advised us to work through a legal advisor to council, Mr Givemore Mvhiringi, which we have been doing. Stand 1585 was in the name of Mr Sena Mumpande and stand 1633 in the name of Mr Mvhiringi, from the limited paperwork we have. We were informed last week that stand 1585 was no longer available and had been sold to someone else.”
The e-mail is dated 15 February 2017, a day after Mr Siatimbula was suspended. Mr Glynn confirmed that he wrote the e-mail.
“I was phoned by council as they picked up issues about the stand and fortunately we hadn’t paid for it,” he said.
Mr Glynn said engagements with Siatimbula about the stand took place in December, the same time when Mr Mumpande was also allocated. It appears stand 1633 was also allocated to two other people. Police could not be reached to comment about the new report.
Siatimbula allegedly paid $15 815 for stand 1583 on 2 December and wrote to the chamber secretary on 6 January instructing her to draw an agreement of sale alleging that Mr Mumpande had an offer letter
This was allegedly in violation of Section 4(D) (1) of the Victoria Falls Municipality Code of Conduct hence a criminal charge of abuse of office as a public officer as Mr Mumpande would have paid $15 815 of the total $48 410 excluding 15 percent VAT.
Siatimbula, who is represented by Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners, will know his fate on Thursday when magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa delivers judgment in respect of the trial that’s already underway.
