MBABANE: King Mswati’s alleged white hitmen who kill political activists and human rights defenders are allegedly linked to Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg’s Montigny Investments, their company is training security officers at Montigny forests.
The alleged foreign mercenaries allegedly killed Mlandvo Khumalo, a member of the pro-democracy Swaziland International Solidarity Forces(SISF) in a joint operation with the army.
It has been disclosed that the alleged hitmen are owning a security company that is contracted to giant companies that include the the Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation(RESC), their payment does not come directly from Government.
An independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News uncovered that the superiors of the security company owned by the alleged hitmen and or foreign mercenaries were secretly training other Swazis including State security officers.
Reached for comments,Montigny Investments Spokesperson Sihle Mavuso denied any knowledge of the alleged hitmen,regarding the training of State security officers within the Montigny forests,he referred questions to Government Spokesperson.
“Montigny Investments Limited is one of the premier forestry and saw-milling companies in Southern Africa, and is certainly not aware of any ‘hitmen’ training within the forests, or of any ‘hitmen’ sourced by the Honorable Minister of Finance. Questions regarding the training of any State Security Officers should be directed to the relevant Government Spokesperson,”said the Montigny Spokesperson.
The name of the security company owned by the alleged mercenaries cannot be revealed for now pending further investigations.
A questionnaire was sent to Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo,however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments,human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi said it was unfortunate that Government was quiet amid reports and evidence suggesting that there were foreign mercenaries in the country killing civilians.
“These allegations about foreign mercenaries were first highlighted by Princess Sikhanyiso after the killing of civilians by State security officers. Now, it’s no longer an allegation, people are taking pictures of these alleged mercenaries going around the country terrorizing civilians and it is alleged that they were hired by the State. It is the duty of the Government to protect civilians and in the event citizens are suspected of committing a crime, the Government must arrest those suspects, not to hire mercenaries to kill them,” said the human rights lawyer.
Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg.