MBABANE:King Mswati allegedly refused to protect Ludzidzini Council member Ncumbi Maziya, who is a subject of an investigation by the Eswatini Revenue Service(ERS)in a R3.8million tax evasion scandal.
This comes after this Swaziland News reported that Maziya, an alleged close ally to Mswati allegedly defrauded the revenue authority and after being exposed, he allegedly harassed senior officials of the revenue institution, accusing them of leaking his tax information.
The Ludzidzini Council member is alleged to have used King Mswati’s name when defrauding the revenue authority saying the goods, he imported belonged to the King who enjoys tax exemption.
Documents in our possession suggests that,Maziya’s matter is now handled by the highest authorities within the Eswatini Revenue Authority(ERS) and some of his properties might be attached and auctioned soon.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Tuesday morning,Vusi Dlamini, the Eswatini Revenue Authority(ERS) Director of Communications and Marketing said,the revenue institution was restricted by the law to discuss clients matters in the public domain.
“In line with our Legislation and ERS Policies we can not discuss our Clients matters in the public domain”, said the Eswatini Revenue Authority(ERS)Director of Marketing and Communications.
A questionnaire was sent to the Ludzidzini Council member,however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments earlier,King Mswati’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane described tax evasion as a criminal offense adding that, using the King’s name to obtain favors amounts to extortion.
“Tax evasion is of criminal nature and using the King\'s name in vain to get favours appears to be extortion to us. Unfortunately both are normally done behind closed doors away from the public eye and it is difficult to know what exactly happened in the alleged maneuvers in question.We beg not to pretend we know what exactly happened and why lest we contaminate the alleged investigation,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
It is alleged that, Maziya tried numerous times to seek an audience with the King who refused to protect him as the revenue authority was ‘hot on his heels’.
On Monday Prime Minister(PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini established an anti-corruption Task Team to investigate allegations of corruption, as per a command issued by King Mswati in his speech from the Throne.
Ludzidzini Council member Ncumbi Maziya.