Limpopo chief unhappy over suspended arson sentences

LIMPOPO – The suspended sentences given to 13 residents in Halambani village, accused of arson and malicious damage to property, does not sit well with the traditional leader and his aid (vhakoma).

The sentence, handed down in the Sibasa Regional Court on Thursday, has acting traditional leader of the village, Vhamusanda Tshidino Patrick Lambani and his aid, vhakoma Thivhulawi Rasilwela furious, saying they are not satisfied.

“All 13 residents, who are mostly from the Lambani royal family, got a suspended sentence after being found guilty of arson and malicious damage to property. I’m not satisfied with the regional court judgment for those who set alight my eight-bedroomed mansion, damaging my cars and another car belonging to my aid, and I will not leave this here. It seems the courts are encouraging people to commit violence and damage property, because they know nothing will happen to them,” said Lambani.

His house burned to the ground in 2015 after it was set alight.

The judge found the 13 accused guilty of arson and malicious damage to property, and gave them a suspended sentence of seven and three years respectively.

Lambani, however, believes his house was set alight by those influenced by royal family members, “after the Mphaphuli dynasty and the Lambani royal family endorsed my name as the rightful person to act as traditional leader of the village since the dethroning of Edson Lambani in 2014”.

“I’m a recognised acting traditional leader here in Halambani, as I have the authority to allocate new residential and business stands, but since I was put in leadership, children and grandchildren of the dethroned Edson Lambani are fighting with me, saying I have taken the seat of the former ruler. We are at each other’s throats since I was given power, but I don’t fight with them,” he added.