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Mr Lot Siatimbula

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
VICTORIA Falls Municipality has suspended without pay and benefits its housing and community services director on allegations of corruption after he allegedly allocated a stand to his son without following council procedures.

Mr Lot Siatimbula was suspended on Tuesday when he was also reportedly ordered to surrender a Ford Ranger he was using, a laptop and a cellphone bought for him by the municipality.

The suspension is with effect from February 14 and will lapse on February 20, 2017.

Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube confirmed the suspension saying Mr Siatimbula faces a disciplinary hearing at the municipal offices on Monday next week.

He couldn’t be drawn into giving details about the allegations.

“I can confirm that the housing director is on suspension pending investigations. I can’t comment further or divulge much information because the issue is under investigations internally and by police but he will be afforded a fair hearing by the council,” said Mr Dube.

The Chronicle is in possession of the suspension letter signed by the town clerk. It states that Mr Siatimbula violated Section 4(D) (1) of the Victoria Falls Municipality Code of Conduct.

The case has also been reported to the police and investigations are in progress.

Allegations leveled against Mr Siatimbula are that he misrepresented to council about the stand and attempted to coerce the chamber secretary to process an agreement of sale and later tried to reverse the process.

The director is accused of unprocedural handling of an application for a residential stand in Victoria Falls by his son Sena Mumpande.

Council had offered him stand number 1585 measuring 3300 square metres. It is alleged that Mumpande was supposed to buy the stand at 25 percent on all costs excluding 15 percent VAT meaning he was to pay $15 815 of the total $48 410. According to the suspension letter, Mr Siatimbula on December 2, proceeded to pay $15 815 for the stand and wrote to chamber secretary on January 6, instructing her to draw an agreement of sale for his son alleging he had an offer letter and other documents.

“On 30 January you misrepresented that council had withdrawn stand number 1585 from Sena and by copy of that letter the treasurer was required to process a refund. There was no council resolution to allocate stand number 1585 and to repossess it as purported in the letters that you wrote yet council was supposed to have resolved to allocate or repossess the stand. Such acts constitute an offence in terms of Section 4(D) (1) of the Victoria Falls Municipality Code of Conduct.

“You are therefore suspended on suspicion of any act, conduct or omission inconsistent with the fulfilment of the express or implied conditions of contract in terms of Section C of the Victoria Falls Municipality Code of Conduct-2000. The suspension is being done to facilitate conclusion of investigations.

During suspension you are required to remain away from your work station, to surrender the council vehicle that you are using and also surrender the council laptop and cellphone to the town clerk,” read the suspension letter.

The letter was also copied to the Mayor Councillor Sifiso Mpofu so he could update the General Purpose Committee. Mr Siatimbula, speaking through his lawyer Mr Zibusiso Charles Ncube, of Ncube and Partners Legal Practitioners confirmed receiving the letter of suspension.

Mr Ncube said they were waiting to be served with a charge sheet before the hearing on Monday.

—@ncubeleon