MBABANE – A 48-year-old man – Phinda Mtsetfwa – faces two additional charges in a growing list of serious criminal accusations, including impersonating a police officer.
Appearing at the Mbabane Magistrate Court before Senior Magistrate Sifiso Vilakation Wednesday, Mtsetfwa who faces a string of charges dating back to November 2023 had to answer to the latest allegations.
Mtsetfwa’s first charge is contempt of court. According to court records, he was legally required to present himself at the Mbabane Magistrate Court on July 14, 2025, but unlawfully and intentionally failed to do so while he was duly warned.
The second charge is that of impersonating a police officer. On August 4, 2025, near Oshoek, Mtsetfwa is said to have pretended to be a police officer and misled a man identified as Samkeliso Shongwe. This act is a violation of section 69(1) of the Police Act of 2018. The section reads:
69. (1) Any person not being a member of the Police Service commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five thousand Emalangeni (E5,000) or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or both, if that person— (a) by word, conduct or demeanour impersonates, pretends to be a member of the Police Service.
These new allegations come as Mtsetfwa faces a string of charges dating back to November 2023, most of which involve theft by false pretenses and fraud.
Official court documents, including an amended charge sheet and supplementary records state a wide-ranging pattern of deceit in which Mtsetfwa allegedly defrauded numerous individuals by making false promises in exchange for money. In one instance, Mtsetfwa allegedly took E1,000 from Musa Maseko after promising to supply safety boots.
In other cases, he is accused of promising to secure employment for six individuals Nomcebo Mdaka, Thandiwe Mthombo, Zinhle Dlamini, Nomzamo Phakathi, Thabsile Phakathi, and Siphesihle Emmanuel Gule taking amounts ranging from E500 to E4,900 under false pretenses.
Additional charges include the alleged collection of E600 from Martha Simelane to secure a scholarship for her son, E2,100 from Noxolo Nyawo for employment assistance, and E2,400 from Delisile Caroline Dlamini after promising to secure a place in high school for her child. He also reportedly took E1,300 from Felizwe Moses Dlamini, again under the pretense of offering a job opportunity.
Furthermore, Mtsetfwa is facing a charge of conspiracy to defraud a money lender, Sgadla Dlamini, out of E12,000. He allegedly entered into the agreement knowing he would not repay the funds. This incident also forms part of a separate charge of theft or fraud.
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