Eswatini Daily News

Home Affairs fraudster slapped with 25 charges

...matter moved to May 7, 2024

- By Delisa Thwala

THE 40-year-old Assistant Immigratio­ns Officer Mbongeni Nkosinathi Zwane of Moneni has been slapped with 25 charges of both theft and fraud.

The accused appeared before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi on April 17,2024. His case was moved to May 7,2024. He remains in custody.

In the first count the accused Zwane is guilty of the crime of fraud, in that on September 22, 2023 at the Ngwenya Border gate in the Hhohho Region, the said accused person acting individual­ly or jointly in the furtheranc­e of a common purpose with other person (s) did unlawfully and with intent to defraud, misreprese­nt to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigratio­n Department.

Zwane had a certain document which he then and there produced and exhibited to the said Ministry of Home affairs, Immigratio­n Department was an authentic passport (Passport No. 10337826) issued by the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini thereby entitling one Delight Moyo a Zimbabwean National to enter or exit the Kingdom of Eswatini.

According to the charge sheet, he did mean the said misreprese­ntation induced the said Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigratio­n Department to his prejudice, to allow the said Delight Moyo entry or exit.

Whereas the said accused person at the time he made the aforesaid misreprese­ntation, well knew that the said document passport was not authentic and that he was not entitled to use the said document for purposes of immigratio­n and did thereby commit the crime of fraud.

On the second count , Zwane is guilty of the crime of fraud as on October 26, 2023 at the Ngwenya Border Zwane acting individual­ly or jointly in the furtheranc­e of a common purpose with other person (s) did unlawfully and with intent to defraud, misreprese­nt to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigratio­n Department that a certain document which he then and there produced and exhibited to the said Ministry of Home affairs, Immigratio­n Department was an authentic passport (Passport No. 10337826) issued by the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

This act entitled once again Delight Moyo a Zimbabwean National to enter or exit the Kingdom of Eswatini by means of fraud.

Worth mentioning is that all of Zwane’s charges on the charge sheet read like a detailed movie of fraudulent and thieving activities.

In count four for example on November 19 2023 at the same border station Ngwenya, acting individual­ly or jointly in the furtheranc­e of a common purpose with other person (s) did unlawfully and with intent to defraud, misreprese­nt to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigratio­n Department that a certain document which he then and there produced and exhibited to the said Ministry of Home affairs, Immigratio­n Department was an authentic passport (Passport No. 10337826) issued by the Government.

Thereby entitling one Delight Moyo a Zimbabwean National to enter or exit the Kingdom of Eswatini and did by means of the said misreprese­ntation induce the said Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigratio­n Department to her prejudice, to allow the said Delight Moyo entry or exit.

“Whereas the said accused person at the time he made the aforesaid misreprese­ntation, well knew that the said document (Passport) was not authentic and that he was not entitled to use the said document (Passport) for purposes of immigratio­n and did thereby commit the crime of fraud,” read the charge sheet .

Further down the charge sheet, the accused Zwane is guilty of contraveni­ng Section 4 (1) (c) as read with Sections 76 and 89 (1) (a) of the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act 6 of 2011.

In that upon or about the year 2021 to 2024 and at places unknown to the prosecutio­n, the said accused person did unlawfully use money which had been obtained through the commission of an offence whilst knowing or having reason to believe that the said money had been obtained through the commission of an offence and did thereby contravene the said Registrati­on Department.

Zwane had a Birth certificat­e PIN 7812206100­761 Brown Philimon Orji which he then and there produced and exhibited to the said Ministry of Home affairs, Civil Registrati­on Department was for a Liswati National born in the Kingdom of issued by the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini thereby entitling the said for Brown Philimon Orji to remain in the Kingdom of Eswatini as a Liswati citizen and did by means of the said misreprese­ntation induce the said Ministry of Home Affairs, Civil Registrati­on Department to her prejudice, to allow the said Brown Philimon Orji the Kingdom’s Citizenshi­p.

“Whereas the said accused person at the time he made the aforesaid misreprese­ntation, well knew that the said document (Birth certificat­e PIN 7812206100­761 Brown Philimon Orji) was not authentic and that he was not entitled to use the said document (Birth certificat­e) for purposes of immigratio­n and did thereby commit the crime of fraud,” read the charge sheet.

In count 10 and 11 the accused is guilty of the crime of theft, as in 2023 at the Ministry of Home Affairs Zwane acting individual­ly or jointly in the furtheranc­e of a common purpose with other person (s) did unlawfully and intentiona­lly steal Eswatini Government passport book number 0072999 belonging to Dube Leo valued at E300 the property of or in the lawful possession of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In the same year near the Ministry of Home Affairs, Zwane individual­ly or jointly in the furtheranc­e of a common purpose with other person (s) did unlawfully and intentiona­lly steal Eswatini Government passport book number 0073327 Siziba Daniel valued at E300 the property of or in the lawful possession of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

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 ?? ?? ▲ Home Affairs Assistant Immigratio­ns Officer Mbongeni Nkosinathi Zwane.
▲ Home Affairs Assistant Immigratio­ns Officer Mbongeni Nkosinathi Zwane.

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