MBABANE – Four men have been charged after allegedly swindling two businesspeople out of more than E500 000 by claiming they could clean stained South African banknotes.
Bongani Ace Ndzinisa (43), Andrew Dlamini (42), Masotja Sibusiso Mavimbela (41), and Bakhona Milton Gwebu (37) are accused of theft by false pretence and money laundering involving a total of E542 922.64 between November 2024 and February 2025.
According to the charge sheet, the group allegedly told one businessman, Mhlongo Blessing Sibusiso, that his South African company could receive United Nations funding via the Central Bank of Eswatini if he paid them E300 000. He eventually lost E472 922.64.
Dlamini is also facing a separate charge for defrauding Mandisa Khumalo, whom he allegedly convinced to pay E70 000 in exchange for cleaning “stained” South African notes marked with U.S. Federal Reserve stamps.
The accused have also been charged under the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011.
Ndzinisa and Dlamini remain in custody and are due back in court on August 7. Mavimbela and Gwebu were released on bail.
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