MBABANE:The State Intelligence Unit is vigorously investigating the circumstances surrounding the ruling issued by Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala and stopping SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff’s arrest, insiders within the law enforcement agency told this publication.
The politically connected businessman stands accused of looting billions of public funds, resulting in the shortage of drugs in public hospitals.
It has been disclosed that, the investigation against the CJ and by the State Intelligence Unit is allegedly conducted in collaboration with the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) amid allegations suggesting that, the Head of Judiciary was bribed to protect Kareem Ashraff, a politically connected businessman of Indonesian origin.
But before this alleged investigation, this publication reported and published ACC documents substantiating that, the Anti Corruption Commission was investigating the Chief Justice on allegations of corruption.
Responding this publication earlier, lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi urged the Chief Justice to take a leave of absence until the consistent allegations of corruption against him are cleared.
“It seems the CJ is defending one scandal after another instead of administering justice in the country and therefore, it would be best for him to just take a leave of absence until such allegations are cleared,” said the lawyer.
Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala had not responded at the time of compiling this report while Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson declined to comment about the alleged investigation.
On another note, Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala was recently exposed by this Swaziland News for allegedly interfering in the operations of the Master of High Court with an alleged intention to steal public funds or loot multimillion eStates.
The Chief Justice is alleged to have grabbed the eState file of the late Adolf Ngwenyama from the Manzini Master’s Office with an alleged intention to steal a Farm worth over R10million, he subsequently released statement denying these corruption allegations.
But information gathered by this publication suggests that, the Chief Justice was behind the Master of the High Court recent decision stopping Assistant Masters within the Regions to administrate monies or approve withdrawals above fifty thousand Rands(R50,000.00) without the signature of Phumzile Thomo after developing an interest to grab some properties belonging to deceased emaSwati.
As a result, multimillion eState risk being looted by the Chief Justice who is controlling the Master of the High Court.
Parliament tried to investigate the Master of the High Court Office amid alleged corruption but, Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala stopped the investigation by Members of Parliament(MPs) and went on to establish his own Commission of Inquiry.
Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala(pic supplied).