MBABANE – The Home Affairs officer accused of allegedly unlawfully issuing an Eswatini identity card to South African alleged crime boss Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala now faces 17 charges.
The State yesterday filed an amended charge sheet before Magistrate Xolile Nxumalo at the Mbabane Magistrates Court, adding 12 new counts against Nonhlanhla Phumla Malambe, an Assistant Regional Civil Registrar in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The accused initially faced five charges.
The amended indictment alleges that the offences were committed over a seven-year period between 2017 and 2024 and involve several individuals whose identities and official documents were allegedly fraudulently created or processed.
Central to the State’s case are allegations surrounding documents allegedly issued to a purported Vusimuzi Dlamini, whom investigators believe is linked to Matlala. The allegations form part of a broader investigation that previously attracted national attention after authorities alleged that fraudulent Eswatini identity documents had been used to facilitate the acquisition of local documentation.
According to the amended charge sheet, prosecutors allege that while employed as Assistant Regional Civil Registrar, Malambe abused her position by unlawfully facilitating the registration of personal identification numbers (PINs), national identity cards, birth certificates and a marriage certificate, allegedly in circumstances not permitted by law.
The State alleges that in March 2017, Malambe unlawfully facilitated the registration of a PIN and the subsequent issuance of a national identity card for one Avhininen Anitti Jussi, contrary to the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The charge sheet further alleges that during November 2017, she facilitated the registration of a PIN, the issuance of a national identity card and a birth certificate for one Sincanelo Traicy Camp. Prosecutors further allege that she willfully caused false information to be entered into the national birth register before the birth certificate was issued.
In respect of those allegations, the State has also preferred alternative charges under the Immigration Act, alleging that official documents were issued without lawful authority.
The indictment further alleges that in August 2023 Malambe unlawfully caused a false birth registration for Jussi before facilitating the issuance of a birth certificate.
During the same month, prosecutors allege that she unlawfully issued Marriage Certificate Number 375674 involving Glory Xolile Kunene and Jussi after false information had allegedly been inserted into official records.
The allegations relating to the purported Vusimuzi Dlamini are contained in counts 11 to 14.
According to the charge sheet, prosecutors allege that during February 2024 Malambe unlawfully registered PIN 7605286100465 for the purported Vusimuzi Dlamini.
The State further alleges that she subsequently facilitated the issuance of a birth certificate before reportedly causing false particulars to be inserted into the national birth register.
Those allegations are accompanied by alternative charges under the Immigration Act relating to the alleged unlawful issuance of an official document.
The final group of allegations concerns transactions allegedly carried out during July 2024 involving Shabalala Titselo Siyamthanda and Zukiswa Dumsile Shabalala.
The prosecution alleges that Malambe facilitated the registration of another PIN before allegedly issuing a birth certificate founded on false information entered into official government records.
In total, the amended charge sheet contains 17 substantive counts, most of which are brought under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The remaining charges relate to alleged contraventions of the Births, Marriages and Deaths Registration Act, while several counts carry alternative charges under the Immigration Act.
The prosecution alleges that by carrying out the transactions, Malambe abused her authority as an Assistant Regional Civil Registrar, breached the trust placed in her office and violated her legal duties.
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Nonhlanhla Malambe, the Home Affairs Officer who is accused of unlawfully issuing an Eswatini identity card to South African alleged crime boss Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala (R) now faces 17 charges. (C) Sivesonkhe Ngwenya who is representing Nonhlanhla Malambe in the matter. (File pics)