Times Of Swaziland: Minister Winnie among those questioned by ACC

Minister Winnie among those questioned by ACC
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BY MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE  on 30/08/2013 01:53:00


MBABANE –Minister of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Winnie
Magagula is one of those who were questioned by the Anti Corruption Commission
in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to the
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Swaziland branch.
The investigations of the CPA- SD branch were carried out by the Anti Corruption
Commission (ACC) in connection with the members of the Royal Swaziland police.
The name of the minister and others appear in the list of documents that were
scheduled in the search warrant that was issued by the High Court. Also included
in the search warrant was Chief Protocol officer Mphiwa Dlamini.
The investigations led to the arrest of former Lobamba Lomdzala Member of
Parliament (MP) Marwick Khumalo, former Senator Bhutana Dlamini, former Clerk to
Parliament and now Under Secretary in the ministry of health Sanele Nxumalo and
Senior Parliament Accountant Nompumelelo Zulu.
They were alleged to have misappropriated E5.7 million belonging to the CPA-
Swaziland branch. They were, however, later admitted to bail by the High Court. 
Khumalo and Zulu have since been rearrested and they are now facing charges of
fraud, tax invasion and money laundering.
Also to be arrested is Director and shareholder of Happy Valley Casino and
Resort Jose Rodrigues.
The list of those who were questioned during the investigations of the alleged
misappropriation of funds belonging to CPA-SD   has been attached to the
opposing affidavit, which has been filed by the Anti Corruption Commission Chief
Investigator Sipho Mthethwa.
Some of those who were included in the search warrant are Nhlanhla Zwane who is
a technician, Zanele Gamedze, Celumusa Khoza, Nompumelelo Zulu, Sanele Nxumalo,
Sidumo Zwane, Ralph Nkambule, Sibusiso Hlatshwako, Bhutana Dlamini,  Marwick
Khumalo and a company trading as African Access.
‘How new charge against  Marwick was uncovered’
MBABANE – The present offence which Former Lobamba Member of Parliament
Marwick Khumalo is facing was uncovered during the investigations of his earlier
case.
Sipho Mthethwa from the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), who is the
investigator of the case submitted that it was during the investigations of the
earlier case that the present offence of fraud was uncovered and coupled with
other investigations regarding Khumalo.
He said it then became imperative to arrest Khumalo
Mthethwa submitted that the suggestion that the charge sheet could simply have
been amended to include this charge should be rejected as this case was
allegedly entirely separate and distinct charge involving different accused.
“It emerges crispy from the first applicant’s (Khumalo) affidavit that
various charges involving dishonesty have been investigated over the years
against him, some of which will be enrolled for trial once the forensic audits
are completed,” Mthethwa said.
He submitted that there were various serious charges that were being
investigated against Khumalo. Mthethwa on the other hand submitted that their
earlier attempts to obtain relevant documentation from Happy Valley were met
with an unconvincing explanation that the documents were no longer available.