Suspended Kumalo Primary School headmistress Stella Mhlanga has been acquitted of all criminal charges in a case in which she was accused of embezzling school funds, reported Chronicle.
Mhlanga, who was relieved of her duties in July amid the controversy, faced allegations of misappropriating thousands of dollars in school development funds.
However, Bulawayo Magistrate Richard Ramaboea cleared her of the charges, ruling that the State had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
In his judgment, Ramaboea said the prosecution’s evidence was inconsistent, poorly documented, and largely based on unsubstantiated assumptions rather than concrete proof.
During the trial, several teachers and School Development Committee (SDC) members testified, but most could not provide definitive evidence that Mhlanga personally handled or diverted the funds.
Financial audit documents presented in court also failed to clearly link the alleged missing amounts to her.
Mhlanga and four other staff members had been accused of embezzling school funds through a calculated scheme, allegedly defrauding the institution of more than US$12,000.
The case first came to light in February when the SDC flagged inconsistencies in the school’s financial records.
These irregularities prompted a government-led audit, which ultimately led to the suspects’ arrests.
This is not the first time Mhlanga has courted controversy. In 2015, she was dismissed from Magwegwe Primary School following protests by angry parents, an incident that escalated to the point of requiring anti-riot police intervention.
Parents at Kumalo Primary School have long been calling for her removal, questioning why she continues to serve in her role despite facing serious allegations.
Mhlanga was previously suspended in 2024 pending a disciplinary hearing. During that time, Deputy Head Enelesi Sibanda was appointed acting head. However, Mhlanga was reinstated on September 4 of the same year.
She was also suspended following allegations that she insulted the deputy headmaster in front of staff and students.
The incident reportedly occurred in a school corridor, where a misunderstanding between the two escalated into a heated argument.
The suspension was handed down on September 14 and lasted until November 14 2024.
In 2021, Mhlanga was charged with violating Section 26 of the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act (Chapter 10:04) for possessing prohibited articles.
The charge stemmed from an incident in which she was accused of accidentally sharing a revealing image of her private parts on her WhatsApp status.
In April 2022, Bulawayo magistrate Marygold Ndlovu acquitted Mhlanga, ruling that the State had failed to establish the essential elements of the charges against her.
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