Times Of Swaziland: ILLEGAL GREEN CHERT MINERS SPILL THE BEANS ON 2 COPS

ILLEGAL GREEN CHERT MINERS SPILL THE BEANS ON 2 COPS
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Mbongiseni Ndzimandze on 03/01/2024 08:36:00


MBABANE – The alleged illegal miners of Green Chert, who were arrested during
the investigation which led to the arrest of two police officers, have spilled
the beans against the officers.
Green Chert is a type of Quartz with a very good quality; it can be used in the
manufacturing of artefacts and even jewellery. The officers, Constable Mancoba
Vilakati, who is based at Pigg’s Peak Police Station and Sergeant Bakhona
Moyane, who works under the Royal Residence Protection Unit, are facing a charge
of corruption and they are currently behind bars, as their bail is being met
with resistance from the prosecution. One of the alleged illegal miners of the
stone deposed to an affidavit relating his involvement, in the matter and how
the officers allegedly demanded a bribe of E20 000 from him and his companions
not to arrest them for being found in possession of Green Chert.
He also disclosed how one of the officers allegedly threatened him with death,
in the event he disclosed his involvement in the theft and illegal sale of Green
Chert. In a statement, they detailed how the whole alleged unlawful operation
was carried out, purportedly on the instruction of the accused persons
(officers). Thabiso Mncina of Luhlangotsini submitted that on July 29, 2023,
with his companions, they went to Malolotja Mine to steal Green Chert, which
they in turn sold to their customers. He narrated to the court that they ferried
the stones from Malolotja to his parental home at Luhlangotsini. Mncina said
they then called one of their customers, to come and buy the stones. According
to Mncina, the customer arrived at his parental home on July 30, 2023, and
inspected the stones but did not buy them, as he said they were not what he was
looking for.
Shots
“May I state that on the very same day, during lunch hour, a police van
arrived at my parental home and we ran away with the other boys. The police
officers who alighted from the van called us but we did not stop until they
fired warning shots and we returned,” submitted Mncina. He related to the
court that upon arrival, they noticed that the police officers were known to
them as Mancoba Vilakati and Bakhona Moyane from Pigg’s Peak Police Station.
“The two police officers conducted a search at my parental home at
Luhlangotsini where they found the stones and they demanded E20 000, failing
which, they told us that they would arrest us,” alleged Mncina. He alleged
that he then pleaded with them (Moyane and Vilakati) that they did not have such
an amount of money and they subsequently reduced it to E15 000, which they
agreed to pay after selling the Green Chert stones.  Mncina highlighted that the
two police officers did not arrest them and they did not take the Green Chert to
Pigg’s Peak Police Station, instead took it to Matitila/Nkomanzi at Jabulani
Pat Ginindza’s homestead.
“They (two police officers) ordered me to organise five boys to go with them
to offload the mineral stones. Those who went with them were, me, Melusi Mbatha,
June Hlophe, David Shiba and Mhlonishwa,” alleged Mncina. He disclosed that
Vilakati (Mancoba) first called him on August 1, 2023, and also arrived at his
(Mncina) parental home driving his car.  Mncina brought it to the attention of
the court that Vilakati then threatened him that he should not involve him in
the issue of the Green Chert. “He told me that in the event I disclosed his
involvement in the whole issue, I will never see the day of trial as I will be
dead,” submitted Mncina. Mncina alleged that Vilakati went to Mandoza’s Shop
in Pigg’s Peak and asked him (Mandoza) to inform him (Mncina) that he would
shoot him.
Investigating
According to the deponent, when the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) had
started investigating the issue of Green Chert, he visited the shop and saw
Vilakati entering. He alleged that Vilakati told him that he knew that he had
implicated him in the matter of Green Chert and further said he (Mncina) would
never see the day of the trial to testify against him, as he would shoot him.
before the commencement of the trial. “He took out a lot of money from his
pocket and told me that I should look at it. He further said he was not scared
of the police whom I have reported him to since he has money and that I was
poorer than him and I will die poor before I testify against him,” submitted
Mncina.
Inspector Friday Mabuza said the mineral stones were then collected by Fisokuhle
Makhosahlangene Masina, who is Moyane’s cousin in the presence of Thabiso to
Mvutjini/Ezulwini. Mabuza went on to allege that as the Green Chert was still
hidden in a garage at Fisokuhle’s home, police officers from Lobamba received
information and they went to Mvutjini to conduct a search at the homestead.
“May I state that since the unlawful owners of the Green Chert were desolate,
they  were following every movement of their mineral, hence when  the police
officers went to conduct a search at Fisokukhle Masina’s homestead, they found
Thabiso Mncina, Fisokuhle and a foreign man who had come to buy the Green
Chert,”  averred the investigator.
Threatened
He said information gathered through their investigation revealed that when the
five boys were released from custody, Vilakati called Thabiso and threatened him
that he should not involve him in the issue of Green Chert. Mncina’s
confirmatory affidavit is annexed to the opposing papers filed by the Crown,
where it contended that it would not be in the interest of justice to release
the duo on bail. The Crown is represented by Beauty Fakudze from the chamber of
the director of public prosecutions (DPP), while for the accused persons is
Sipho Gumedze of V.Z Dlamini Attorneys.