Times Of Swaziland: MAN HELD  FOR EXTORTING  ANOTHER  POPULAR  BISHOP

MAN HELD  FOR EXTORTING  ANOTHER  POPULAR  BISHOP
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Sibusiso Shange on 10/12/2024 07:28:00


MBABANE – Sihle Mkheyi Gama, the man who was previously implicated in the
alleged extortion of Archbishop Bheki Lukhele, has been arrested for allegedly
extorting yet another well-known bishop.
This time around he is alleged to have extorted Bishop Mavovo Mkhonto. Gama, who
falsely claimed to be a journalist from the Times of Eswatini, threatened to
publish an alleged confidential story about Bishop Mkhonto, unless he paid a sum
of E9 900. The bishop is alleged to have paid a portion of the demanded amount,
leading to Gama’s arrest. This is not the first time Gama has been accused of
such heinous acts. In the first case, he, along with Zweli Honest Dlamini,
allegedly posed as officers from the Eswatini Financial Intelligence Unit,
threatening to expose Archbishop Lukhele. The modus operandi appears to be
consistent: Gama, under the guise of being a journalist or law enforcement
officer, allegedly targets influential individuals, threatens to expose
sensitive information, and demands substantial sums of money.
Targeting
The question remains: Is he specifically targeting religious leaders, or is this
a broader scheme aimed at anyone vulnerable to such tactics? The police
investigations uncovered that Gama, who is also implicated in attempting to
extort  Lukhele,  who is the leader of All Nations Church in Zion, a sum of 
E230 000, posed as a journalist employed by the Times of Eswatini Group of
Newspapers, when allegedly misrepresenting to Mkhonto. Through his attorney,
Gama applied that he be released on bail. He told the court that he has two
school-going children. He undertook to abide by all conditions attached to bail
if released. He also vowed to report to the nearest police station if ordered to
do so. Acting Mbabane Magistrate Innocent Motsa admitted Gama to bail fixed at
E2 500.
Motsa warned Gama against committing a similar offence while out on bail. He
also warned Gama against interfering with the Crown witnesses. Gama was warned
to attend all remand hearings whenever ordered to do so. He was remanded in
custody until December 19, 2024, pending setting of trial date. It is said that
Gama tried and failed to extort a prince using the same modus operandi.  In the
case of Lukhele, Gama was arrested together with Dlamini, who is employed by
Eswatini Umbutfo Defence Force. It was gathered that the duo posed as officers,
from Eswatini Financial Intelligence Unit (EFIU, in a bid to defraud Lukhele. 
It is alleged that the duo claimed to have documents which suggested that
Lukhele was allegedly involved in money laundering, which was due for
investigations by International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).
However, Gama disappeared after he was released by the police pending
finalisation of their investigations. Members of the public are advised that all
legitimate Times of Eswatini journalists carry official press cards. These cards
contain essential information, including the journalist’s name, photograph and
number to call for verification purposes. The press card number can be used to
verify the journalist’s identity by contacting the Times of Eswatini directly.
If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to contact the Times of Eswatini
newsroom to confirm the journalist’s authenticity. You can reach us through
our website, social media channels or by calling our office. If you encounter
anyone claiming to be a Times of Eswatini journalist who behaves suspiciously or
makes unreasonable demands, please report the incident to the nearest police
station or contact the Royal Eswatini Police Service toll-free number  999. By
following these guidelines, you can safeguard yourself from potential scams and
ensure that you are interacting with genuine journalists.