NEW: Victoria Falls former Mayor Somveli Dhlamini loses appeal against conviction, sentence

Online Reporter

FORMER Victoria Falls Mayor Somveli Dhlamini’s appeal to overturn his conviction and sentence for fraud has been dismissed by the High Court.

Dhlamini was sentenced to 30 months in prison by the Victoria Falls Magistrates’ Court in October 2023 for defrauding the Victoria Falls Town Council of US$15 000.

He sought to have his conviction quashed, arguing that it was excessively harsh and induced a “sense of shock”.

In his appeal, Dhlamini argued that the council suffered no significant prejudice and a fine of US$500 would have been a more appropriate punishment.

The High Court, however, upheld the lower court’s decision, with Justice Munamato Mutevedzi ruling that both the conviction and sentence were appropriate.

“There is, in our considered view, nothing that induces a sense of shock with the sentence imposed,” Justice Mutevedzi said.

“If anything, what is shocking is the leniency.”

Between August 1 and 6, 2022, Dhlamini fraudulently applied for a residential stand under the Wood Road Residential Scheme using the name of Valentine Munyaradzi Maseko, a close family friend.

Despite knowing that he was ineligible for the scheme, Dhlamini manipulated the process to secure stand number 1771 Wood Road in Victoria Falls.

As a result, the council suffered a direct loss of US$15 000 and faced a potential prejudice of US$66 462.75.