By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. While working for one of the local newspapers a few years, I once interviewed Majozi Sithole, the then Governor of the Central Bank of Eswatini(CBE) and former Minister of Finance, he said once they steal billions of public funds, corrupt people have the full potential to use that money in holding the entire country hostage.
Now, we are seeing a suspected multibillion thief calling a press conference and publicly justifying himself on a matter that pending before the court, the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) and the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP) applied for a warrant of arrest against Kareem Ashraff and instead of accounting to the law, he opted to manipulate the justice system and the media to evade arrest and went on to call a press conference where he denied stealing public funds.
As the independent media, we have been exposing Ashraff but let me remind him that, despite the series of investigative stories published, he remains innocent until proven guilty by the court of law.
So he must not blame as he did during the press conference for his ongoing troubles with the law, he must just produce the drugs he delivered and his troubles will be over.
In journalism we normally use words like “allegedly” even if we have substantive evidence to support allegations of wrongdoing but, because allegations must be tested by the courts and be subjected to cross examination, Kareem Ashraff is avoiding that process while running to the court of public opinion to clear his name saying he is innocent.
Swazipharm Director Kareem Ashraff is a suspect and if he has information about individuals who owns Pharmacies and might have stolen the drugs, he must just say “I delivered the drugs, here is the proof and those drugs were subsequently stolen by civil servant X or Y” not to issue a vague statement that lacks clarity, specificity or precision.
The CMS is not a human being so if Ashraff is saying, drugs were stolen by CMS, that’s a vague statement and I don’t think the editors he was addressing have castrated minds with no ability to ask questions such as; who within the CMS is stealing the drugs?.
But we may never know, in this country it’s the survival of the fittest, Funduzi Forensic Services Director Zakhele Dlamini has been scandalized but the suspect who allegedly stole billions of public funds, is being cleaned.
As mentioned in my previous articles, the health crisis has escalated to a point whereby it’s difficult to just clean Ashraff with a press conference, people are dying in public hospitals and emaSwati are expecting drugs not endless stories and theories.
Ashraff must just show us the drugs and if he is in possession of information or evidence to substantiate who might have stolen those drugs, he must assist the Anti Corruption Commission with information or the police, a press conference cannot be turned into court proceedings.
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