BUSINESSMAN ARRESTED FOR SMUGGLING E2.2M VEHICLES

MBABANE – A five year investigation into the smuggling of cars from the Kingdom of Eswatini to Mozambique has finally led to the arrest of a popular Manzini businessman.
Samuel Sam Dlamini of Nhlambeni is alleged to have failed to declare motor vehicles with a total value of E2.2 million.

The accused was arrested by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service under the Serious Crime Unit known as Tingculungculu on November 14, 2018.
Dlamini of Nhlambeni now stands charged with 14 counts; which include five of corruption, seven of contravening the Income Tax Order, contravening the Motor Vehicles Act and that of contravening Section 81 of the Customs Excise Act 21 of 1971.
He allegedly bribed soldiers and police officers stationed at the borderline between Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini in order not to prevent him from smuggling the motor vehicles.
According to the charge sheet, the total amount which the accused allegedly paid the law enforcers as a bribe was E100 000.

A soldier, Dingani Mhlongo and Simanga Nkwanyana, a police officer, have since been fingered as recipients of the alleged bribes.
Mhlongo and Nkwanya are detailed to guard borderline between the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Republic of Mozambique.

The offences were allegedly committed in Mhlumeni, Lomahasha, Mafusini and Bhadzeni, among other places.
The duo allegedly received amounts ranging from E15 000 to E20 000 for each smuggled motor vehicle.
The models of the motor vehicles which Dlamini allegedly failed to declare include among others, a Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu and Toyota Land Cruiser.

Woman

Interestingly, in one of the counts, Dlamini is alleged to have acted jointly with a woman, Zodwa Maureen Dlamini, to steal an orange Ford Ranger in Pretoria valued at E523 550. They are alleged to have committed this offence on July 18, 2015,
On the corruption charges, he is alleged to have upon or about the year 2013, paid a sum of E20 000 to Mhlongo in order not to prevent him from smuggling a Toyota Hilux LDV.

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