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BABANE – Police are cracking down on civil servants involved in fraudulent activities in the Ministry of Interior.
It is understood that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is in charge of the investigation, has completed its investigation. This publication understands that the ACC has completed its work and about 10 police officers will be punished.After the investigation, it is learnt that ACC officials have initiated an application for arrest warrants against those involved in the case. Sources revealed that if all goes according to plan, the arrests will be carried out in the next few days.
In an interview, ACC Acting Commissioner Maphevu Mkhatjwa said while the commission had completed its investigations, he could not reveal when arrests would be made.
Mkhatjwa argued that it would be unwise to reveal any information as it would jeopardize any investigation they were conducting. He then referred reporters to ACC spokesperson Jabu Phakathi, who however told reporters she was not aware of any planned arrests.
prohibit
Phakathi reminded journalists that the entity operates within the law, which prohibits the disclosure of information or details of anyone who is being questioned or investigated. The Anti-Corruption Commission has a three-pronged preventive legal role, namely examining corrupt practices and procedures and making recommendations on ways to prevent corruption.
It also has an educational role, enabling public and private institutions and the general public to understand the forms and dangers of corruption. In addition, the Anti-Corruption Commission has an investigative function, namely to receive and investigate complaints against any person alleging or suspected corrupt practices and to refer appropriate cases to the Office of the Attorney General (DPP).
Refugee status
In 2022, the Home Office launched an internal investigation into the sale of refugee identities and passports to foreigners. Police investigations reportedly uncovered a ring that was trafficking in document identities and refugee passports. It was revealed that the group charges any undocumented citizen who wishes to be treated as an official refugee in the Kingdom of Swaziland between LE30,000 and LE50,000 to obtain new legal documents. More than 100 immigration officers were transferred last year following internal investigations. At the time, the agency was facing challenges with the loss and theft of security documents such as passports and travel documents. At the start of the investigation, the agency did say that those involved would be investigated as they were committed to eliminating all elements of corruption.
Assist Group
In one case, there were allegations that government officials were assisting a syndicate in Manzini that was trafficking refugee identity documents and passports. During an internal investigation, an official allegedly admitted to accepting bribes from foreigners. However, she was unable to renew her passport, which sparked an investigation, with ACC reportedly launching an internal probe at the ministry to determine if any officials were involved in the illegal issuance of passports. It is understood that further investigation by ACC revealed that the passport printer’s information had been deleted from the system.
According to reliable sources, ACC then collaborated with the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP) as it controls the system for producing passports and other documents. It is understood that RSTP had so-called administrative privileges and some officials were able to find the files because of traces in the system. The RSTP system is able to determine that an officer produced a document, which is accomplished by using the IP address of the computer used.
It was suspected that some officers might have destroyed some of the evidence, so RSTP had to step in to re-collect the required data. It is worth noting that the ACC has been considered inefficient for some time, with the public and politicians calling it powerless because it accepts government subsidies but does not make the number of arrests expected. However, that has changed in recent months as arrests have been witnessed.Last month, the Anti-Corruption Commission arrested a UNESCO lecturer and a senior official of the National Maize Corporation (NMC). The UNESCO lecturer, who is also a farmer, has been identified as Daniel Vusane Dlamini of Mhulamini, while the official, Msobisi Sifiso Dlamini of Nyakeni, was employed by the NMC as a project manager. The two men were allegedly involved in a conspiracy involving corruption involving a government truck trailer.
Preventing corruption
The two were arrested under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA), which is an act to investigate and punish corrupt activities, establish an anti-corruption commission and provide for other matters relating to the prevention of corruption. Since the implementation of the Proceeds of Crime Act in 2018, the State has seized and confiscated a number of assets alleged to have been obtained through criminal means or used as instrumentalities in criminal activity.The two suspects were allegedly arrested on suspicion of violating section 42 of the Proceeds of Crime Act, which details general corruption offences. The veracity of these allegations has yet to be tested in court. According to the allegations, in 2015, the Swaziland government purchased agricultural equipment including tractors, tractor trailers and other implements with the intent to lease them to farmers in the country.
The number of tractor trailers purchased is 50.
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