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SENIOR COP ARRESTED FOR TAKING ‘COLD DRINK’ MONEY

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MBABANE – Allegedly accepting imali yedrink from Asian nationals has resulted in a senior police officer being arrested and suspended from work.

Imali yedrink is money that is usually given to a person as a token of appreciation or sometimes to drive him to do favours for you. Inspector Ntokozo Alpheous Khumalo, who is based at the Police Headquarters in Mbabane under the IS (Intelligence Service) Department, has been slapped with 12 counts of corruption. IS is the police department which is, among other things, responsible for background checks of people, including foreigners who intend to settle or start businesses in the country. Khumalo appeared at the Manzini Magistrates Court where he was admitted to E3 000 bail. It is alleged that during the course of his employment, he would accept various amounts of monies from Asian nationals in return for favours. According to the charge sheet, all the 12 complainants in the matter are Asian nationals.

On Friday, Khumalo filed an urgent application at the High Court where he is seeking an order interdicting the Civil Service Commissin (CSC) from proceeding with his disciplinary hearing.  This comes after the Executive Secretary of the CSC wrote him a letter inviting him to appear before it for a pre-suspension hearing. “The national commissioner has reported to the Civil Service Commission that you were arrested and charged with 12 counts of contravening the Prevention of Corruption Act by a competent court of law at the Manzini Magistrates Court. You were granted bail to the tune of E3 000 on April 11, 2018,” reads the letter of invitation dated May 7, 2018. In the letter, Khumalo was also informed that the national commissioner of police has recommended to the Civil Service Commission that he be suspended from duty pending finalisation of his criminal trial. His application to interdict the commission from proceeding with the hearing was filed by Khumalo’s attorney, Leo Ndvuna Dlamini. He is, among other prayers, seeking an order reviewing and setting aside the decision by the CSC of instituting a disciplinary hearing against him.

Respondents in the matter are the executive secretary of the CSC, The national commissioner of Police Isaac Magagula, attorney general and Assistant Commissioner of Police Vusi Mkhabela. Khumalo argued that the matter was urgent because the respondents were holding the disciplinary action against him contrary to the provision of Section 189(5) of the Kingdom of Eswatini Act of 2005. In his application, Khumalo stated that on May 12, 2018 he received a letter dated May 7, 2018 from the CSC. “The letter had a brief outline that after a departmental investigation by the police and subsequent suspension from work, the CSC wanted to conduct a pre-suspension hearing,” alleged Inspector Khumalo. He contended that it was common knowledge that no pre- suspension was done before his suspension on March 27, 2018. “It is trite law that the suspension stands valid from the date when I was verbally suspended on March 27, 2018. A formal administrative decision to suspend me was taken as such I am on suspension,” argued the senior law enforcer.

 

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