People who use their position of power for personal gains suffer when their actions are exposed. Citing relevant illustrations from John Lara’s play The Samaritan, write an essay to support this statement.

Some people use their position of influence to benefit or advantage themselves rather than the people they are supposed to serve. When they are exposed, such people agonize as they try to save face or protect their wealth or positions. Jaden and Bembe are examples of leaders who suffer after acquiring wealth illegally.

Mossi uses his position as the mayor of Maracas municipality for his own gain but he suffers when his actions are exposed. He admits that he has some skeletons in his closet. He is accused of municipal capture. This is the worst form of corruption and abuse of office where his private interests determine the direction of public policy. He is also guilty of inflating costs of projects. He admits that he steals part of the loaf meant for the public but dismisses his mistakes as natural and excusable. Mossi suffers when all this is exposed. He admits that the Samaritan is a huge nightmare and the exposé causes him to lose consciousness temporarily. He is unable to eat. In panic, he forces Harvester to buy all newspapers and to organize a press conference to save face. He is also forced to drop his demeanour of a tough mayor and visit Ms. Nicole to own up his mistakes and beg for her understanding and help. He begs her to help him survive the onslaught in the Samaritan. He is also forced to apologize to her for treading on her toes. He tries to hide behind Nicole when accosted by police. He is eventually arrested. (P29, 34, 37-40, 43, 51-53, 60, 62, 68-69, 71, 132, 139)

Bembe misuses his position as the Municipal Inspector General of Police for his own gain. He owns Madingo Golf Club which is built on public land – Maracas University land. The hotel was built using proceeds of corruption collected from motorists thus the hotel is nicknamed Motorists’ Highway Hotel. The Inspector General has transformed the Municipal Police Force into his personal outfit for collecting bribes for him. He is guilty of countless counts of corruption and extortion. When exposed, Bembe is worried about the likelihood of his untimely death owing to his blood sugar levels. He even drifts into a coma. His heavy breathing and sweating are a testament to his suffering. He knows that he is doomed but he prefers death to being jailed or homeless. Trying to arrest and have Ms. Nicole convicted on trumped up charges cause him embarrassment when he is summoned by his bosses. He thinks of fleeing to the mountain to dig a hole and live there. He is later forced to apologise to Ms. Nicole. Finally, he is arrested. (P 26, 37-38, 40-41, 99-100, 132, 138)

Judge Ian Jayden the principal judge at Maracas Municipality misuses his public office to amass a fortune for himself but he later regrets. His mistresses and relatives are doing business with the municipal council. He also hawks justice like cabbages. In order to accumulate wealth, he collects bribes from litigants to determine cases in their favour. He makes biased rulings and gets paid using company shares. The judge is involved in the grain scandal. His mistress Ivy is illegally awarded a contract for eliminating rats and other rodents since Jaden is a senior officer. The idea was to undermine local production of grains so that his company Prime Orchard benefits from importation. When he is exposed, he suffers from stomach ulcers and hallucinations. The issue torments him badly. He sees rats running all over and catches the smell of sewer rats. The awful smell makes him want to throw up. The sight of imaginary rats makes him scream and run away. Nicole declines his proposal of a contract as director general in the municipal council. He crouches under the table when confronted by the police. Eventually, judge Ian Jaden is arrested. (P69, 102, 106-109, 112, 116-117, 123, 134, 138)

Seymour uses his position as the secretary in charge of planning and development for his personal gain but he suffers when he is exposed. He is accused of supplying air to the municipality. His companies are paid huge sums of money every month without rendering any services. He has also benefited from past misallocation of funds including enhanced travel allowances, sitting allowances, loans and mortgages. He was elected recently but now lives in grandiose villas, drives state-of-the-art vehicles and dines in classy hotels thanks to the stolen public money. To get a building plan in his department, one simply needs to part with dollars to bribe Seymour and those working under him. When he is exposed, he is worried about possible prosecution and conviction. He ponders and suggests several ideas to help him walk scot free, including liaising with judge Jaden, persuading the students to drop the matter, talking to the principal herself and using money from the municipal council to fight the case. The exposé causes a fallout between Seymour and Mossi with the former threatening to hound the mayor out of office. His suffering culminates in his eventual arrest by the anti-corruption police. (P24, 29-36, 38, 66, 212, 138)

Ted King uses his position as the municipal secretary for health and environment to acquire personal wealth but this comes back to haunt him when he is exposed. He supplies air to the municipal council. His companies are paid handsomely for services not rendered. He has benefited from past misallocation of funds including hefty travel allowances, sitting allowances for unnecessary meetings, loans and mortgages. Despite being elected recently, he now lives like a king in a grandiose villa, drives ultra-modern vehicles and dines in classy hotels despite being poor just the other day. His current financial status is funded by stolen money. He ensures companies associated with his friends and relatives win tenders for construction of health facilities. Together they steal all the money budgeted for construction. When exposed, Ted is worried that he could end up in Baneta Express Prison. He suggests getting help from judge Jaden or using money to bribe authorities involved in a bid to avoid prosecution and imprisonment. He has a difficult time trying to convince councillors and aldermen to impeach Mossi. He is part of the team that tries to offer Nicole a good job at the municipality. She declines both the job and a ring he offers her. The final nail on the coffin is when Ted King is arrested.(P24, 33-36, 64, 138)

Lastly, Ramdaye misuses his position as deputy mayor and secretary in charge of infrastructure for his selfish gains. Ramdaye sells Maracas University land to Bembe. He also does a shoddy job on construction and maintenance of secondary roads yet the council pays a lot of money for the roads. He also uses his position to ensure only his company and those of his relatives win tenders for road construction, construction of bridges, pavements, drains and water courses but they misappropriate the funds in the long run. Instead of whistleblowing on the Rodengate affair, he accepts bribes and company shares for his own benefit. When exposed, he frantically joins the other leaders in trying to save face. He suggests raising loans or selling their property to raise funds to fight the cases. He falls out with the mayor and attempts to impeach him. He suffers when he is arrested for stealing public funds. (P41, 62-63, 112,  138)

In conclusion, acquiring money or wealth illegally because of one’s position may result in agony or misery when the misdeed is revealed. Integrity is a vital virtue.