By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. In terms of the law of evidence,there are different types of evidence and this include among others, documentary evidence, expert opinion,electronic evidence and the testimony of witnesses known as testimonial evidence.
Prime Minister(PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini is not accused of corruption based on testimonial evidence but the basis of the allegations come from the report of the Auditor General(AG) Timothy Matsebula, the report accuses Dlamini,in his capacity as the then National Disaster Management Agency(NDMA) Chief Executive Officer(CEO),of failing to account for about R180million COVID-19 donated funds.
A report of the Auditor General(AG), being a national institution established in terms of the Constitution, is the basic evidence that qualifies the media and even Parliament to question the Prime Minister(PM) and demand accountability.
The R180million was meant to assist emaSwati during COVID-19 but,it was looted by Russell and his corrupt syndicate of capitalists only for this corrupt,arrogant and politically novice unelected Prime Minister(PM) to demand evidence that is already available.
Auditors are qualified investigators,that’s why when you take a course on private investigation, forensic or any investigation a relevant subject like Accounting is a compulsory requirement.
Auditors compile reports after gathering and analyzing documents like purchase orders, invoices and bank statements among others,they then seek clarification in the event audit queries arise.
Parliament, an arm of the State tasked with demanding accountability among others, summoned Russell Mmiso Dlamini with regards to the missing R180million and this is what he said;
“Letindzaba leti angeke ngitikhulume eshashalazini”.
The Human Rights Commission and Public Administration is governed by laws that promote, among others, transparency and accountability.
Public figures are required in terms of the law to declare their assets, we haven’t seen Russell Mmiso Dlamini declaring his wealth and how he accumulated assets.
Commitment to accountability is, and remains an ethical conduct as per the principles of public administration.
But instead Prime Minister(PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini, the then National Disaster Management CEO, demonstrated arrogance and labelled the Parliament Public Accounts Committe(PAC) ‘eShashalazini’ when asked to account for the missing COVID-19 funds.
Now, he wants to play victim saying, he is being attacked for fighting corruption; how can an alleged corrupt and arrogant thief like Russell Mmiso Dlamini fight corruption?.
We demand the accountability of the R180million Mr corrupt Prime Minister(PM),demanding accountability from a public figure who failed to account for public funds is not an attack, unless you want to tell us you are a cry baby who want to steal with impunity and/or without being questioned.
This country has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, no drugs in public hospitals, no scholarships, no maintenance of roads in the rural areas, no decent salaries for civil servants, no payment for government suppliers and therefore, anyone who steals or stands accused of looting public funds will or should be a subject of an investigation by the independent media and other institutions.
Source: SWAZILANDNEWS
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