Immigration Officer slapped with 14 charges, granted E5000 bail
By Delisa Magagula
Assistant Immigration Officer Misiwe Jele was admitted to bail fixed at E5 000. Her lawyer Derrick Jele applied for bail on her behalf stating that she was an adult residing in the country. He assured the court that the officer would abide by all bail conditions.
He said she will not abscond trial and she would attend court whenever directed by the court. She was then admitted to E5 000 bail on terms that she will not interfere with the State witnesses, she would not commit a similar offence while out on bail and she would attend all remands and court proceedings.
She was remanded into custody until March 27, pending trial, however, she was told to pay the E5 000 to regain her freedom at the police station because the Revenue Services was already closed by the time she left court.
Meanwhile, the accused had entered court through the back door after lunch when she arrived with a group of people. There were seven people that entered the courtroom with her. They also left the court when she exited the premises.
Jele also used the back door when she exited the court premises; she was transported in a white van that was followed by a white private car with a foreign registered car.
The Assistant Immigration Officer Misiwe Jele was escorted by police as she left the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court following her arrest on allegations of abusing her position.
Jele, who is also the wife of Reverend Senzo Hlatshwayo, faced 14 charges, including violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Immigration Act.
According to court documents, Jele, employed under the Ministry of Home Affairs, was accused of unlawfully issuing entry permits to foreign nationals.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had applied for a warrant of arrest, which was granted by the chief justice. The warrant authorized investigators to search her premises and seize electronic devices as part of their probe.
Following her arrest, Jele was taken to court in the afternoon, where she appeared before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi. She was represented by attorney Derrick Jele.
One of the charges alleged that on May 31, 2024, in Mbabane, Jele had used her position to facilitate the issuance of an Eswatini government entry permit to Ali Rehman without proper authorization from the ministry’s entry permits committee.
The charge was brought under Section 42 (1) (b) read with Section 42 (2) (b) (i), (ii), and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act No.3 of 2006 (POCA).
Additionally, she was accused of violating Section 14 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act of 1982 by allegedly making a false declaration to the Ministry of Home Affairs to secure approval for entry permit number T3051/2024, knowing the information was misleading.
An alternative charge claimed that she had unlawfully issued the permit without the required authorization from the entry permits committee.
Jele also faced allegations of offering Hussain Safdar an Eswatini government entry permit (T4050/2024) without proper authorization, which, according to the charge sheet, amounted to an abuse of her position.
Overall, the state alleged that from September 2023 to September 2024, Jele had engaged in the unlawful issuance of permits, breaching her legal duty and violating the trust placed in her office.