SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL CHAUFFEURED TO SHEBEEN

MBABANE – Despite that government resources are strained, a senior army official is chauffeured and also ‘escorted’ to a shebeen, almost on a daily basis.

The senior army official is chauffeured in a white Toyota Etios sedan and escorted by an army green Toyota Hilux single cab bakkie. Both vehicles have the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) registrations, which are S 297 and S 219, respectively. The UEDF senior official is based at one of the bases in Matsapha. The senior army official, who was followed on various days by this publication’s reporters, was last Saturday found at the shebeen from around 8pm and he left the place at 10pm.

Shebeen

During his stay there, both vehicles were parked at the shebeen while he was seated with a group of people who were enjoying alcoholic beverages. He was also followed by this publication’s reporters on a different day – Friday (about a week from the first incident) - wherein the senior army official was seen leaving his army base at around 5pm and headed to Mgenule Canteen wherein he left just after 7pm. During the two hours at the canteen, the senior army official had the two vehicles parked outside the canteen where the public and army personnel also enjoyed alcoholic beverages. Thereafter, his cavalcade proceeded to a shebeen which is about 12 kilometres from the army base. There, the vehicles were parked at the shebeen for over two hours.

Trips

The army green bakkie made several trips in and out of the shebeen before ultimately leaving at about 10:18pm. It tailed the Toyota Etios to the residence of the senior army official. At about 10:32pm, the army bakkie left the residence of the senior UEDF official and headed to the army base. A day later - Sunday, he arrived at the shebeen at around 5:30pm and the two vehicles were parked within the alehouse premises while he sat with a group of people who were enjoying alcoholic beverages. During this period, the bakkie’s driver would seemingly take instructions from the senior army official and leave the premises only to return later on. The cars were parked at the shebeen for over three hours with the bakkie frequently leaving the residence only to return later.

While the senior army official was seated with the group of people who were enjoying alcoholic beverages, the two UEDF personnel designated to drive him were seated at the back of the bakkie chatting.

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