By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: The Parliament Finance Committee whose Chairman is Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament (MP) Marwick has called for an urgent investigation through the Office of the Auditor General (AG) as Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini allegedly launders $5.1million (about R100million).

The money was paid by the United States (US) President Donald Trump’s administration for dumping dangerous criminals in the Southern African tiny Kingdom of Eswatini and, in terms of the agreement signed by the US and the Kingdom, the money was supposed to be used to improve the country’s immigration system.

But in a report tabled in Parliament this week, the Finance Committee recommended the ‘freezing’ of the funds pending an investigation by the Office of the Auditor General amid rampant looting allegations involving the Eswatini Prime Minister.

It has been disclosed that, the PM ordered that the money be transferred to the Disaster Management Agency without consulting Parliament and Cabinet including the country’s Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg.

“The Committee recommends that the Minister for Finance, through the Auditor General, urgently institute an investigation into the partial

expenditure already undertaken by the National Disaster Management Agency in respect of the USD 5.1 million received from the United States of America. The investigation should determine the purpose, authority, and legality of such expenditure and establish whether it complied with the applicable public financial management requirements. The Committee further recommends that the National Disaster Management Agency be barred from undertaking any further expenditure from the said funds until the matter is fully regularised and the position of the United States authorities is formally clarified. A comprehensive report on the findings and corrective measures should be submitted to the House within thirty (30) days of adoption of this report,” reads the Finance Committee report in part.

But the report comes a few days after this Swaziland News published an investigative article, exposing how the Prime Minister was allegedly laundering the about R100million through the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the final destination of the money remains unknown.

Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli declined to comment about the report.

Other Members of Parliament (MPs) who recommended the investigation against the Prime Minister include appointed MP Prince Lindani, Hhukwini MP Alec Lushaba, Sabelo Mtetwa, Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga, Princess Nkosungumenzi Dlamini, Masiphula Mamba, David Ngcamphalala, Allen Vilane, Charles Ndlovu, Manzi Zwane and Petros Sibandze.