MBABANE – A nine-member delegation of Eswatini Members of Parliament and senior government officials is on a working visit to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in Accra, Ghana.
This forms part of a part of a study tour aimed at strengthening national efforts in human rights protection, administrative justice and the fight against organised crime.
The delegation, received on Tuesday, was welcomed by EOCO’s Executive Director Raymond Archer and members of the organisation’s management team.
It comprised five Members of Parliament (MPs), officials from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Eswatini Commission on Human Rights and the Ministry of Public Service.
An official from Ghana’s Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) also accompanied the group.
Led by Lobamba MP Michael Masilela and Gugu Nsibande from the Ministry of Justice, the mission forms part of a broader initiative to understand how Ghana’s key institutions manage issues related to public administration, human rights and anti-corruption work.
Other MPs on the visit included Mayiwane MP Sicelo Dlamini, Manzini Region MP Thandeka Mavuso and LaMgabhi MP Sicelo Jele.
EOCO provided a detailed briefing on its mandate, operational structure and legal framework, particularly the EOCO Act (2010), Act 804, which establishes the office’s authority.
During an interactive session, the Eswatini delegation sought clarity on several operational areas, including asset freezing, seizure and confiscation procedures, the management of recovered assets and systems for protecting whistle-blowers who provide crucial information.
Questions were also raised about officer safety when handling high-risk investigations, as well as the tenure and governance structure of EOCO’s executive director.
Responding to these concerns, EOCO emphasised its strong commitment to confidentiality and security for whistle-blowers and informants, noting that physical protection is offered in some cases due to the sensitive nature of the crimes investigated.
At the close of the engagement, Masilela expressed appreciation on behalf of the delegation, stating that the insights gained would help Eswatini lawmakers draft stronger, more practical legislation to combat organised crime and improve governance systems.
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