Manzini – Clever con artists operating in the hub of Eswatini have stolen a total of E383,000 from two men after tricking them with fake promises of quick business profits and cheap farm machinery.
The most recent incident occurred on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, when a 46-year-old man from Siphocosini was fleeced of E150,000 in cash. While walking through the Manzini town center, the victim was approached by strangers who convinced him they had access to raw platinum that would yield massive, immediate returns on investment.
The fraudsters staged multiple phone calls to a purported supplier who demanded upfront payment before releasing the precious metal. Convinced by the performance, the victim handed over E150,000 in cash, only for the suspects to disappear with the money.
In the second case, a 59-year-old man from Magubheleni fell prey to a fraudulent cross-border procurement scheme. The victim paid E233,000 in cash after being promised a tractor from a company based in South Africa. The transaction took place within Manzini, but the agricultural machinery was never delivered, prompting the victim to formally report the theft after months of waiting.
The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has issued a stern warning to the public following these back-to-back financial hits. Authorities are pleading with citizens to stop handing over large sums of cash to unverified suppliers and to thoroughly check the credentials of any business offering high-yield investments or cross-border shipping.
No arrests have been made yet in either case, and the Manzini Fraud Division is currently tracking the phone lines and descriptions used by the syndicates under the ongoing “Sikhona” anti-crime operation.
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