Africa-Press – Eswatini. Army Commander Moses Mashikilisane Fakudze is being investigated by the police for his alleged involvement in the ‘Zama Zama’ gold illegal miners in Pigg’s Peak-Hhohho region.
It has been disclosed that, some of the suspects arrested a few weeks ago subsequent to an operation led by Assistant Commissioner Clement Sihlongonyane, told the police that they used to bribe the soldiers deployed to protect the gold in Pigg’s Peak, Army Commander allegedly deployed his trusted senior soldier to head the Army Camp and, according to the suspects apprehended by the cops, was collecting not only the bribes, but part of the money paid after the selling of the illegally mined gold.
As a result of the alleged involvement of the Army Commander in the gold smuggling, the illegal miners some who originate from the Northern Hhohho, Emvembili, South Africa and Zimbabwe had established a gold processing site next to the Mine with machinery and, the soldiers led by the Army Commander allowed them after an arrangement that, they will pay the Army Commander.
“You will even be shocked to learn that, the illegal miners were passing through the Army Camp with the bags of soil containing gold,” said an investigator within the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS).
It has been disclosed that, the Army Commander has been blocking the police and Bastion Security from enhancing security at the Pigg’s Peak Mine saying, the soldiers were doing a good job.
But despite the Army Commander’s resistance, National Commissioner Vusi Masango subsequently approved the deployment of a high level investigation team led by Assistant Commissioner Clement Sihlongonyane and backed by armed police officers from the Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU), the cops seized equipment and arrested the suspects who allegedly named Fakudze and implicated him in the gold smuggling.
Army Spokesperson Major Sandile Gwebu declined to comment about the matter.
It has been disclosed that, after the arrest of the suspects, the Army Commander has been pleading with the State police investigators not to report him to King Mswati that, he attempted to block Bastion Security and the police from traveling to Pigg’s Peak to investigate the illegal mining and that he was involved in the illegal mining.
