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' I lied about Sobantu bribery'

03/04/2012 00:00:00 MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE

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PIGG’S PEAK - The soldier who claimed that he pays the Army Commander, Lieutenant-General Sobantu Dlamini E3 000 per month in return for giving him a job is now singing a different tune.

Sipho Lesley Dlamini, who is based at Nsingizini Army Barracks, had made the claims in court after he had been arrested for contempt of court for defying a court order directing him to pay one Sipho Dlamini, a Court Clerk at the Pigg’s Peak Magistrates Court, E14 000 in monthly installments of E3 000. He was also facing other traffic offences and a charge of resisting arrest.

In the earlier appearance in court last week, he alleged that the army commander demanded E15 000 in return for giving him the job.

However, he yesterday told Magistrate Leo Dlamini that he was lying in all that he said about his boss during his court appearance last week and asked that the army commander should not be called to appear before court to answer on the allegations he had levelled against him. Magistrate Dlamini last week ordered that the army commander and two senior soldiers who had been implicated by the soldier be called to give their side of the story.

However, immediately he was called into the dock yesterday, he asked Magistrate Dlamini not to summon the army commander and the two senior soldiers because all that he had said in court on Friday were lies. "Please do not call the commander and the senior officers I had implicated in this matter as I was telling lies. I am very sorry for all that I said in court last week as I was telling lies," he said.

One of the senior soldiers responsible for Nsingizini barracks, Colonel Shodi Mabuza, who was present in court, was yesterday informed by Magistrate Dlamini of the latest development.

The Magistrate first asked him whether he knew the person in the dock and he answered to the affirmative. Mabuza said he was surprised that the soldier had made such allegations.

He also said they knew that he had a case at the magistrates court and they always made sure that he was released when he was due to appear, but they have since discovered that he used to abscond his hearings and this is confirmed by the charge of contempt of court that has been preferred against him.

Magistrate Dlamini then ordered Mabuza to go and tell the army commander that the soldier who alleged that he bribed him for a job was now singing a totally different tune.

"Mr Mabuza, go and tell the army commander that the accused says he told the court lies when he said he was paying him a certain amount for giving him a job in the army," he said.

Also called by Magistrate Dlamini was Senior Matsenjwa, who is also a senior soldier who had been implicated by the accused soldier. Immediately he entered the dock, the magistrate also told him he was free to go as the accused soldier had since told the court that all that he had said last week was not true.

The story of his initial appearance was carried by our sister newspaper The Times SUNDAY this week.

Soldier released after paying E4 000

PIGG’S PEAK - The soldier who lied in court about Army Commander Lieutenant-General Sobantu Dlamini was yesterday released from custody after paying E4 000.

Sipho Lesley Dlamini asked to pay the E4 000 and also made an undertaking to pay the remaining E5 000 before, or on, April 24.

Magistrate Dlamini said he must make sure that he pays the remaining amount on April 24.

He also ordered the officer responsible for the Nsingizini Army Barracks to release him on that date. "You should release this man to court and make sure that you arrange for a soldier to accompany him to come and pay as you told the court that you used to release him to come, but only later learnt that he did not come to court," he said.

... he will face military court PIGG’S PEAK – The soldier who says he lied about Army Commander Lieutenant-General Sobantu Dlamini demanding a bribe will be brought before a military court.

The charges are likely to include perjury (lying to a court) and dragging the name of the army commander through the mud. Army Public Relations Officer Major Khanya Dlamini said it is a criminal offence to lie about another army officer, regardless of his or her rank. He said it is also a criminal offence to drag the name of the army commander through the mud.

Dlamini said for now he cannot specifically state what charges would be preferred against the soldier because the charge would be prepared by the seniors at the barracks where the implicated soldier is based. "It will be at the barracks where he is based where the charge will be prepared and it will be after that that it is forwarded to the military court for prosecution," he said.

The matter is currently being dealt with at the barracks where he is based but it would be only after they had forwarded the charges that they would be in a position to state how he would be punished.

Comments

Something is very fishy in the Sobantu and junior soldier aspect of the case..You really don't expect me to tell you what it is,do you?..Normal human beings can see what I am talking about here...Hardly a week,there is a sudden turn of events!? A lot is going on in the army,and I am shocked,the magistrate didn't punish the convict for lieing under oath..indeed,only in a kingdom...
Apr 3, 2012, 6:33 AM, Mduyaye (mduayeye@702mail.co.za)

This is a rape of Justice!!! This SOLDIER, very junior SOLDIER decided to cite a very SENIOR officer as a cause of his financial mishaps and now it is said its a LIE over my dead body....it is clear to me that this junior officer was called and threatened by the SENIOR officer...just recently i read that Manyosi Simelane said one junior officer deserved to die what would this soldier do under the circumstances.....cha kukhona lokushaya emanti lapha.........I implore the ACC to follow up on this issue and not take it lying down..JUSTICE MUST BE DONE
Apr 3, 2012, 6:33 AM, Thembela (tmthole7@yahoo.com)

Oh poor Swazi bribed again 2 withdraw his statement, dat is Swaziland corruption everywhere u go
Apr 3, 2012, 6:33 AM, stimos (nkambulesanele@gmail.com)

I do not believe that the soldier was lying I believe he does pay the commander. On Sunday i was sitting with a family friend who boldly declared that the soldier was stupid to reveal this because they had also allegedly paid 15000 in cash for one of his relatives to get a job and they are not spilling the beans. So my guess is most soldiers get the job through bribing the authorities and this is being confessed by most people that are bribing or are paying for their jobs.
Apr 3, 2012, 6:33 AM, Anonymous

Kahlekahle there is something wrong with the army, everytime they appear in the news papers, it is for all the wrong doings, EVERYTIME! I really believe that this junior soldier was threatened to drop these allegations!!! Oh! Poor Swaziz, corruption is far from being over!!!
Apr 3, 2012, 9:04 AM, Checlas (dafreshprince56@yahoo.com)

Poor swazis, realy there is something wrong with this army, today this tomorrow that sitayicela ivutsiwe. this guy wasnt lying at the first place now soshintjile bribery all da way.
Apr 3, 2012, 10:13 AM, super b *bhekswako* (bonakele.mdluli@yahoo.com)

Bantfu asebayekele vele kuganga umtsetfo utotsatsa indzawo yawo
Apr 3, 2012, 11:10 AM, hurrah (hurrah@mnet.com)

There is more to this issue than it meets the eye. Lowekunene bengangeke amsukele loSobantu. We know of the abuse that is rife in the army, so it's simple, he was either threatened or bribed to drop it. I ACC nayingamyekela Sobantu ngabe ayati kutsi yakhelwani. Here's a high profile case ACC!!!
Apr 3, 2012, 11:26 AM, Lord Anthony (anthonym198@gmail.com)

Kubuhlung kona ngoba sotja lenkhosi selitibangele lukwekwe ngoba selitawuyishuka liyivunule ngale nkhulumo yalo; kodwa yona ainemkhovu ekhatsi to be honest; sekutsi ikhuluma nga Sobantu otherwise public prosecutor must investigate these allegations. safa sive semaswati kuphelelwa yima ngendzaba yekufuna umsebenti; akusiye yena yedwa uma kungake kwentiwe luphenyo baningi laba khipha imali for kuchashwa kwabo.
Apr 3, 2012, 1:53 PM, Mehlwengwadla Nkonyane--- 2735 (m_nkonyane@yahoo.com)