MBABANE: King Mswati has been allegedly receiving about R40 million every year as a bribe for consistently urging the United Nations(UN) to recognize the Republic of China on Taiwan as an independent State.
The King has been Taiwan’s agent urging the UN to review Resolution 2758 of 1971 that endorsed the One-China principle and recognized the People’s Republic of China(PRC) Province as a member of the United Nations.
“We continue to appeal for Taiwan to be considered for full participation in the UN agencies.We are confident that the global village would benefit substantially from Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN system,” said the King when addressing the UN General Assembly this year.
Now, documentary evidence in our possession suggests that on or around 04 October 2022, a few hours after Mswati returned from the United Nations(UN) General Assembly, Major General Collen Lasco, the Head of Royal Close Protection Unit(RCPU) prepared ‘disguised’ documentation to facilitate the release of the bribe from Taiwan through it’s Embassy in eSwatini.
Major General Lasco who had travelled with the King to the United Nations(UN), prepared and signed what appeared to be ‘quotations’ amounting to $2,289,345.00(about R40million) with State Security ‘letterheads’ for the provision of security upgrade services at Hlane Royal Residence.
Worth-noting, the Ministry of Defense is a State institution and not a profit making entity that provides such services and gets paid for them.
It has been disclosed that Mswati and his Taiwan allies has been using the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development to ‘launder’ the bribe and payments directed to King Mswati, some of the payments were disguised as donations for social projects.
An independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News uncovered that on or around 04 October 2022, a few hours after King Mswati returned from the United Nations(UN)General Assembly, Major General Collen Lasco, the Head of the Royal Protection Unit(RCPU) wrote a letter to the Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development urging the PS to facilitate the release of the funds.
“The Royal Close Protection Unit kindly request your innovative office to facilitate the acquisition of funds to upgrade the security system with digital surveillance and Baracks extension at the Hlane Royal Residence,”reads a letter signed by Major General Lasco.
Reached for comments, Percy Simelane, the King’s Spokesperson urged this investigative journalist to send him some documentary evidence substantiating the allegations, so he could provide an informed comment.
The King’s Spokesperson said even if the handshake was all cash, there should be a paperwork even in the smallest ways.
“Even if the alleged handshake was all cash there should be paperwork even in the smallest of ways. May we kindly request that we be furnished with the transaction evidence,” said the King’s Spokesperson
As per the request, the documents allegedly disguising the bribe were sent to the King’s Spokesperson and Simelane subsequently disputed that these documents were meant to facilitate the alleged bribe.
“Thank you(sic) kindly for the request of funding letters.We however do not take us to the handshake evidence we were looking for.The letters in question conform to Government House Style for requesting for financial assistance from its development partners and we have no reasons to believe they were agents of alteria motives,”said the King’s Spokesperson.
Simelane did not clarify why the King now receives money from Taiwan for security upgrades when Parliament approved and released a multibillion royal budget.
A questionnaire was sent to His Excellency Jeremy Liang, the Taiwan Ambassador to the Kingdom of eSwatini, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
But an insider who shared a highly confidential document, confirming the chain of communication between Mswati’s Government and the Taiwanese Embassy when facilitating the bribe, told this publication that the King demanded his payment shortly after returning from the UN General Assembly.
“As you can see in the documents, the facilitation of the payment was rushed because the King said he wanted his money urgently after delivering the speech. Previously the payment was US$1,000,000,00(about R18million), it was then increased to US$2,000.000.00”, said the royal insider.
Reached for comments, former Senate Deputy President Ngomyayona Gamedze, the Sive Siyinqaba Acting Chairman dismissed the sentiments of the King’s Spokesperson, he said it was clear that Mswati was motivated by this money to speak on behalf of Taiwan at the UN General Assembly.
“Firstly, we need to understand that money for the renovation of Palaces is budgeted for by Government and that money is released every year.Under normal circumstances, such monies that come from other countries as donations are paid directly to Government, be part of the country’s budget and be accounted for,” said the former Senate Deputy President.
An independent investigation by this publication further uncovered that, subsequent to the letter written by Major General Collen Lasco, on or around the 10th October 2022, Siboniso D. Masilela, the Acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, wrote a letter to His Excellency Jeremy Liang, the Ambassador of Republic of China on Taiwan requesting the said US$2,289,345.00(about R40million) for what he described as Hlane Royal Residence security surveillance system and the extension of the army barracks.
“The Ministry on behalf of the Royal Close Protection Unit of the Ministry of National Defense and Security, herewith submits an application for additional funds for the upgrade of the security system with digital surveillance and the extension of the Army Barracks at the Hlane Royal Residence. Attached overleaf are two quotations from the supplier totaling to US$2,289.345.00, broken down as follows, US$864,690.00 going towards the extension of the Army Barracks and US1,424,655.00 going towards the upgrade of the security system,” reads the letter in part.
Reached for comments, Siboniso Masilela, the Acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development said as the Ministry of Economic Planning, they don’t question such monies but merely facilitate the release.
“We only facilitate the release of the monies without questioning the purpose of the grant.These are grant monies from Taiwan not local funding that is accounted for.I am aware of this letter you are asking me about but the Ministry of Defense that is in charge of the project is better positioned to comment,” said the Acting Principal Secretary.
The PS later called this journalist,saying he had verified with officials within the Ministry who confirmed that the money was for an ongoing project for security upgrades.
“I have confirmed with officials, the money is for an ongoing project for security upgrades,”said the Acting PS.
Speaking to this Swaziland News on the subject matter, a Member of Parliament(MP) who is well-versed with finance issues said any grant from international partners was included in the country’s national budget adding that this money cannot therefore, be justified as a grant for Royal Residences security upgrade.
“If the money was legitimate, it was supposed to be included in the budget even if it comes from a foreign country. This one that comes from Taiwan and be facilitated on behalf of the King is a bribe,” said the MP.
A questionnaire was sent to Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, the Army Spokesperson, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Eswatini is the only country in Africa with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a Chinese Province that is not recognized by the United Nations(UN) as an independent State.
King Mswati(inten pic).