By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Kareem Ashraff, the SwaziPharm Director whose companies are implicated in the multimillion alleged looting within the Royal Science and Technology Park(RSTP) has once again, unleashed his alleged media ‘boy’ and Swazi Observer Managing editor Mbongeni Mbingo to discredit Dede Management Consultancy, a reputable forensic company appointed by the Office of the Auditor General(AG) to investigate the disappearance of millions within the Royal Science and Technology Park(RSTP).

But this time, “the discrediting campaign is directed or targeting Advocate Jeanette Neveling who will be leading the forensic investigation” and this, comes a few weeks after Auditor General Thimothy Matsebula awarded a tender to the said forensic company to investigate the State owned technology entity.

Mbingo previously ran a campaign trying to discredit Funduzi Forensic Services investigators the company Directors and, the Auditor General for investigating Ashraff amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals.

The Swazi Observer editor’s relationship with Ashraff dates back to about twenty(20) years ago after the businessman allegedly sponsored Mbingo’s wedding with Primrose Mbingo.

Worth-noting, SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff has been using the State owned Swazi Observer to label all forensic companies, tasked with investigating corruption within the State owned entities to which he was allegedly involved in corruption, as incompetent.

Furthermore, the powerful and politically connected businessman has been doing this by instructing journalists of the Swazi Observer to investigate the profile and background of the investigators and then, twist the information just to cast a shadow of doubt in the investigation, competence of the investigators and, the subsequent credibility of the report.

As a result, the Auditor General(AG) was also a victim of political attacks from Ashraff and his alleged friend Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini who tried to discredit the AG and the forensic companies tasked with investigating corruption but, Parliament adopted the Funduzi investigation report.

The forensic investigation within the Royal Science and Technology Park comes after a series of articles published by this Swaziland News exposing the alleged looting of public funds within the State owned entity under the Ministry of Information,Communications and Technology(ICT).

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Friday, Zakhele Dlamini, the Managing Director of Funduzi Forensic Services confirmed that, suspects normally approach the Swazi Observer in an attempt to discredit these ongoing investigations.

“This conduct is unbecoming and it's really disturbing.One wonders whose interest is being advanced,” said the Funduzi Forensic Services Managing Director.

Both Swazi Observer Managing editor his alleged handler Kareem Ashraff declined to comment about the matter.

It has been disclosed that, the alleged looting within the Royal Science and Technology Park has delayed the implementation of various Information Technology(IT) programs even in various schools across the country.

Responding to this Swaziland News, Lot Vilakati,the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAT) said, “the ongoing corruption within the Science and Technology Park is affecting schools as some IT programs” that were supposed to be implemented were then delayed due to lack of resources.

“It’s a pity because the corrupt syndicate is huge, that why you find others discrediting investigators, it’s a huge syndicate”, said the SNAT Secretary General.