By Delisa Thwala
There seems to be a breakthrough in the case that attracted and sparked National debate as Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi has set a date for the trial to begin on August 1, 2024.
The accused persons appeared in the Mbabane Magistrate court on July 10, 2024.
The first to make his appearance was the second foreigner to be taken in for fraud in connection with the Ministry of Home Affairs Fraud Noumbissi Ben Mazarini, 40 years old, he is facing 20 charges in connection with fraud.
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In the first count, the accused is guilty of the crime of fraud in that upon or about June 20, 2023, and at or near the Ngwenya border in the Hhohho region, the said accused acting individually or jointly in furtherance of a common purpose with the other person (s) did unlawfully and with intent to defraud, misrepresent to the ministry of home affairs immigration department.
In that a certain document which he then and there and produced and exhibited to the said home affairs ministry,
Immigration department was an authentic travel document (Passport No:40984332) issued by the Government of the kingdom of Eswatini thereby entitling the accused person to enter and or exit the kingdom of Eswatini and did employing the said misrepresentation induce the said Ministry of Home Affairs Immigration Department to her prejudice.
This was, to allow the said accused entry/exit whereas the accused at that time made the aforesaid misrepresentation well knew that the said document (Passport) was not authentic and that he was not entitled to use the said document (passport)for purposes of immigration AND thus did commit the crime of fraud.
In the second count, the accused is guilty of the crime of fraud, in that upon or about June 17, 2023, at or near the Ngwenya border in the Hhohho region,
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the said accused acting individually or jointly in furtherance of a common purpose with the other person (s) did unlawfully and with intent to defraud, misrepresent to the ministry of home affairs immigration department.
In that a certain document which he then and there and produced and exhibited to the said home affairs ministry, Immigration department was an authentic travel document (Passport No:40984332) issued by the Government of the kingdom of Eswatini thereby entitling the accused person to enter and or exit the kingdom of Eswatini and did using the said misrepresentation induce the said Ministry of Home Affairs Immigration Department to her prejudice.
This was to allow the said accused entry/exit, whereas the accused at that time made the aforesaid misrepresentation well knew that the said document (Passport) was not authentic and that,
he was not entitled to use the said document (passport) for purposes of immigration and thus did commit the crime of fraud
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian Benjamin Mensah Larbi (38) of Ghana was arrested after he allegedly produced a forged passport to Immigration officers, with intent to enter and exit Eswatini through the Ngwenya Border Gate.
