By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MAFUTSENI:Army Commander Moses Mashikilisane Fakudze allegedly sent Major Bonga Ngcamphalala to convince the Mafutseni police to stop investigating him but, refer the matter to the Military Police so that, it could be handled internally and, by the Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force(UEDF).

Major Ngcamphalala is the Head of the Military Police and he allegedly arrived at the Mafutseni Police Station last week, pleading with the cops to stop investigating the criminal case reported by Brigadier General Zenzele ‘Ace’ Dlamini against the Army Commander who allegedly unleashed armed soldiers to attack him.

The Army Commander unleashed the soldiers who were allegedly armed with weapons of war to attack Dlamini and further grab his cellphone, suspecting him of leaking information to this investigative journalist.

But police sources told this publication that, they then contacted Brigadier General Zenzele Dlamini to verify if he was withdrawing the case against the Army Commander and ‘Ace’ said the case and/or the criminal investigation must continue.

Major Ngcamphalala is alleged to have then tried to convince the cops to at least ‘steal the file for him’ and the police refused saying, they were mandated by police authorities to investigate the criminal case against the Army Commander “without fear or favour and, to it’s finality as Brigadier Zenzele Dlamini wants justice”.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Monday afternoon, Army Spokesperson Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo said, “if the matter is being handled by the police”, then she will not comment on an alleged criminal case pending before the law enforcement agency.

“Your questionnaire is highly noted.Unfortunately the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force(UEDF) Public Affairs Office is unable to reciprocate in this regard, kindly liaise with the pertinent enforcement agency in this direction”,said the Army Spokesperson.

Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson, declined to comment about the matter.

But Army sources told this publication that, Army Commander Mashikilisane Fakudze’s decision to send Major Bonga Ngcamphalala to negotiate the withdrawal of the criminal case so that it could be handled by the Military Police, exposed his alleged involvement in the attack against Brigadier Dlamini who was attacked at kaBhudla on his way to Nokwane Army Headquarters.

“Brigadier General Zenzele ‘Ace’ Dlamini opened a criminal case after being attacked by people, withdrawing the case from the police so that the matter could be handled internally by the Military Police could only mean, the Army Commander who is a subject of an investigation, is confirming that Ace’ was attacked by soldiers. Kusho kutsi uyati kutsi Ace wahlaselwa nge-masotja ngoba phela indzaba letekwa yi-Military Court ngulefaka emasotja. So nawutsi indzaba ayiphume emaphoyiseni and be handled Military Police uchaza kutsini mbamba-mbamba?”, said a senior source within the Army.

On another note, the Army Commander who is now a subject of a royal investigation was exposed by this publication for allegedly looting about R20million monies belonging to soldiers and subsequently closed the Burial Fund that was assisting soldiers with “imali yekulila” amounting to twelve thousand Rands(R12,000.00) when visiting families to mourn the death of another soldier. 

But apart from that, the Commander Fakudze has been receiving five thousand Rands(R5,000.00) per-week as “litiya la-Commander” from Hlalawati, a Saving and Cooperative Fund belonging to soldiers, the looted monies since Fakudze took over as the Army Commander, amount to about R1million.

A few days ago, this publication reported that, the Army Commander informed Commanding Officers(COs) during a meeting held at Nokwane Headquarters that, King Mswati “has commissioned an investigation to investigate the allegations published by the Swaziland News against him”.