ILLEGAL GREEN CHERT MINERS SPILL THE BEANS ON 2 COPS

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.

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