Minister Winnie among those questioned by ACC

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.

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