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Lands Commission boss fined for corruption

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ZIMBABWE Lands Commission Midlands regional director Lincoln Zvasiya has been convicted for corruption by a Gweru magistrate.

ZIMBABWE Lands Commission Midlands regional director Lincoln Zvasiya has been convicted for corruption by a Gweru magistrate.

BY BRENNA MATENDERE

He was found guilty yesterday when he appeared before magistrate Thomas Gurajena facing two counts — violating the Mines and Minerals Act and criminal abuse of duty as a public officer as defined in section 174(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Prosecutor Constance Madzudzu told the court that some time in 2012, a farmer, Leonard Gotora (45), had a land boundary dispute with the now-deceased Anna Majasi, who was a miner.

The dispute was reported to the Lands Commission in Gweru.

However, the issue was not resolved until 2016 when Zvasiya took up the matter as part of his duties to resolve land disputes.

Instead of resolving the dispute, he went to the site, plot number 45 Wildbeast Block, Gweru, and removed beacons used to mark the boundary before occupying the land himself.

The piece of land he grabbed measures 17 hectares.

The court heard that such conduct was unlawful as he had no right to occupy the land, but was supposed to preside over the dispute and make a ruling on who, between Gotora and Majasi, was the rightful owner.

In delivering the sentence, magistrate Gurajena spared Zvasiya a jail term.

“The accused is ordered to pay a fine of $2 400 because in the circumstances, a jail term would be too harsh since he has a family to take care of. However, this conviction will have long-term effects on him. Four months of his jail term are suspended for a period of six years on condition he does not commit a similar offence,” the magistrate said.