Swazi Observer

FULL STORY

7 SUSPECTS ISSUED 43 IDS, 46 PASSPORTS

By Phumelele Mtsetfwa and Nkosingiphile Myeni | 2024-09-01

After allegedly operating as foot soldiers in corruption at the ministry of home affairs, the officials that were nabbed by the Anti-Corruption Commission on allegations of giving several foreign nationals advantage to be registered as refugees stand accused of illegally issuing a total of 43 IDs and 46 travel documents.

This is according to the charge that was read in court yesterday.
The seven officials finally had their day in court at the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court where they came before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi with most of them covering their faces as if to cushion themselves from the chilly weather conditions.

The seven accused are Phumzile Mdluli of Ngwazini area, Dumsile Lukhele, of Sgombeni, Ncobile Helen Dlamini of Siphocosini, Faith Sifiso Matse, of Ngwenya, Njabulo Thembeka Thwala of Mpolonjeni, Mbekwa Carlo Ncongwane of Sidwashini and Jean Khangezile Mamba-Sitsebe of Nkoyoyo area.

Lawyer to one of the accused caused stares when she told the principal magistrate that civil servants do not earn much.

The lawyer, Noncedo Ndlangamandla, representing Njabulo Thembeka Thwala pleaded on her client’s behalf to be released on bail.

pleaded
She implored the court to grant her client a fair amount of bail.
This was before the principal magistrate granted the seven accused bail ranging from E5 000 to E6 000 on the day.

Ndlangamandla pleaded that her client, who is facing the highest number of counts, must be admitted to bail set at E 5000 because civil servants did not earn much.

Ndlangamandla said Thwala is a sole bread winner because his wife is unemployed and has children dependent on him.

The lawyer stated that the accused person pledges to abide by all bail conditions.
Ndlangamandla added that her client was innocent of all the charges levelled against him.
According to the charge sheet, Thwala who is the fifth accused is leading with 46 counts of allegedly granting refugee status to foreigners.

There were murmurs from attendants in the same court that Thwala might have benefitted E2.3 million from the operation as it has been alleged that each foreign national would be charged about E50 000 to obtain the sought after documents.

The accused collectively faced least 89 counts. They were charged with contravening the Prevention of Corruption Act.

They were accused of unlawfully acting individually or jointly in furtherance of common purpose offer to give a number of people refugee travel documents.

The first accused is Phumzile Mdluli (52) who faces 13 counts.
When pleading for bail through her attorney, Ben J Simelane, Mdluli said that she had been a loyal servant to the government for 25 years and deserves to be granted bail.

She also said that she was about to reach the retirement age of 60 and has five children who are dependent on her.

“The state owes her a lot of pension, she cannot afford to risk losing her pension as a result she will abide by all the court rules until the matter is finalised,’’ Mdluli’s lawyer, Simelane said. Simelane also said his client was not at flight risk because her family is based in the country.

Along with the others, Mdluli’s 13 counts of contravening the prevention of corruption Act were for allegedly issuing refugee identity numbers for the benefit of a number of people in the performance of her powers as an employee of the ministry of home affairs.

violation
The accused were charged with carrying out such acts which amounted to the breach of trust, alternatively an act which amounted to a violation of their legal duty or set of rules.

Simelane, who also represented the second accused, Dumsile Magagula, of Sigombeni(35) who is facing 28 counts, said his client ought to be admitted to bail because she has been working in the ministry since 2014. Simelane said Magagula was a reliable civil servant.

He stated that she has a home at Sigombeni area where she resides with her husband and three children.

“I submit that she is not a flight risk because she will lose a lot of things if she evades trial, and I plead with the court to admit her to a reasonable bail,’’ he said.

He added that Magagula has been cooperating with the police during investigation hence she must be admitted to reasonable bail. Another accused, Ncobile Dlamini, of Siphocosini, who was represented by Linda Dlamini said she had children that were dependent on her.

Dlamini said she will abide by all the bail conditions and further pleaded that the court must grant her E 5000 bail. According to the charge sheet Dlamini is facing only one count.

share story