MBABANE — A Limkokwing University of Creative Technology student was arrested for allegedly stealing E17 582 to fund online gambling on 8Bet Eswatini.
The 29‑year‑old, Mfanufikile Bhembe of Ezulwini, appeared at the Mbabane Magistrates Court yesterday, facing charges of theft. The alleged incident took place on February 17, 2026 at Mvutjini. According to the prosecution, Bhembe transferred the amount from the victim, Swazi Mngometulu, into his First National Bank (FNB) account before moving the same sum into a Mobile Money (MoMo) wallet.
From the MoMo account, the funds were reportedly transferred to the online gambling platform 8Bet Eswatini and used to play the game Aviator.
During the hearing, Bhembe was represented by an attorney, who requested that he should be admitted to bail. Counsel informed the court that Bhembe is a bona-fide liSwati national and a registered student at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, studying Business Information Technology. The lawyer stated that Bhembe posed no flight risk and would attend all future court dates. It was also submitted that Bhembe had no independent income and that remanding him in custody could disrupt his preparations for forthcoming university examinations. The prosecution did not oppose the bail application. After hearing submissions, the court granted him bail of E6 000, imposing three conditions: That Bhembe refrains from committing a similar offence while on bail, does not interfere with the Crown’s witnesses and appears in court on all specified dates.
The matter was adjourned, and Bhembe was remanded in custody until March 13, 2026. His trial is scheduled to commence on March 26, 2026.
Court documents detail the movement of the funds in sequence. Following the alleged theft from Nedbank Eswatini, the money was deposited into Bhembe’s FNB account. From there, it was moved to his MoMo wallet, before being transferred to 8Bet Eswatini. The transfer to the online gambling platform reportedly occurred in multiple transactions, allowing the accused to play Aviator, a game widely accessible on mobile and online platforms.
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