MBABANE: Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala is highly expected to start paying back part of the money he allegedly defrauded taxpayers through a housing allowance.
This comes after this Swaziland News Investigation Unit exposed the highly corrupt Chief Justice who allegedly defrauded Government over R1million in housing allowances despite that he was allocated a house within the Judges Complex at Thembelihle, Mbabane.
As part of the evidence, this publication published a pay-slip of the Chief Justice to substantiate the allegations, insiders within the Judiciary told this publication that, thereafter, the CJ held an urgent meeting seeking advice on how he could pay back the money to resolve the mess.
“After you published the evidence, he held a meeting seeking advice on how he can sort this. This month he is expected to start paying back part of the money”, said the insider.
According to information obtained from Intelligence insiders, documentation has already been prepared to facilitate the deduction of part of the money from Maphalala’s salary starting from the month of June 2022.
Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala had not responded to our questions at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments earlier, human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi described this disclosure as serious allegations of corruption.
“These are strong allegations of corruption, those who are responsible for the accountability of public funds must follow this matter. This means there are other civil servants who are unable to have houses because the Chief Justice is benefiting both the housing allowance and a Government house,” said the human rights lawyer.
The Investigation Unit of this publication has uncovered that subsequent to the allegations of fraud, corruption and or abuse of power by the Chief Justice, he was reported to the Anti- Corruption Commission(ACC) for possible investigation.
Jabu Phakathi, the Anti-Corruption Spokesperson avoided questions when reached for comments and declined to comment.
But insiders within the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) confirmed to this publication that the investigation by the ACC was allegedly stopped by Daniel Dlamini, the ACC Commissioner.
Dlamini’s employment as the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) was allegedly facilitated by the Chief Justice in his capacity as the Chairman of the Judiciary Service Commission(JSC).
“The investigation was stopped by our Commissioner”, said an investigator within the ACC.
On or around 12th October 2016, Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala castrated the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) through a highly questionable judgement in a matter where the ACC was seeking a warrant of arrest against the then Commerce Minister Gideon Dlamini and Fred Ngeri.
Maphalala never declared that the ACC was investigating another case of corruption against him, he later facilitated the removal of Advocate Thanda Mngwengwe, the then ACC Commissioner and employed Dan Dlamini,who according to ACC investigators who spoke to this publication, has been sabotaging all investigations involving the Chief Justice.
Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala.