A Hwange magistrate has convicted former Victoria Falls mayor Somveli Dlamini of fraud.
Mark Dzira found Dlamini guilty on Thursday of defrauding the Victoria Falls Municipality of US$15 000.
Dlamini had been on $50 000 bail before the magistrate convicted him and remanded him in custody to Friday for sentencing.
Dlamini (53) was a councillor for Ward 9 in Victoria Falls before his bid to be a Member of Parliament in the August elections failed.
He was arrested by a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) crack team on charges of fraud involving a commercial stand valued at over US$90 000.
This was after Dlamini misrepresented to Victoria Falls City Council when he purported to be Valentine Munyaradzi Maseko so that he could benefit from a stand despite having benefited before.
Allegations against Dlamini are that he misrepresented to Victoria Falls City Council and purported to be Valentine Munyaradzi Maseko to benefit from a stand when he had benefitted before.
A council resolution stipulates that land seekers must not have benefitted before from allocation, purchase or lost stands through repossession.
“On 15 August 2022, the accused in his capacity as mayor unlawfully and intentionally made a misrepresentation and purported to be Valentine Munyaradzi Maseko who he had earlier on in 20003 purchased a stand 1139 from by making an application using the name Valentine Munyaradzi Maseko under the Wood Road Housing Scheme upon which the council offered him stand number 1771,” according to the state.
Dlamini was supposed to pay a deposit of US$25 000 but paid US$10 000.
The balance was supposed to be paid within five days and when he failed to raise it, he paid $7 500 000 in local currency.
The council was allegedly prejudiced of US$15 000 and potential prejudice of US$66 462.75.
