Mbabane – A member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) is one of three men who were arrested on Saturday for allegedly stealing metals valued at E500 000 at Ngwenya Mine.
Mduduzi Ngozo, the soldier, was arrested together with Lindokuhle Tfwala and Ntokozo Mabuza on theft charges and being in possession of the stolen property said to belong to Nathi Hlatshwako.
According to the charge sheet, the trio is accused of working together to steal the metals from the mine, which they had no lawful right to possess.
They made their first appearance before the Mbabane Magistrate Sifiso Vilakati on Monday and formally charged.
The court admitted all three to bail of E5 000 each, in line with Section 103 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. However, if they fail to raise the money, they will remain in custody until August 29 for their reappearance.
During the bail hearing, the accused took turns to plead for their release. Soldier Ngozo told the court that being kept in custody would negatively affect his work since he was still employed and had responsibilities to fulfill. He asked the court to allow him to continue with his duties while awaiting trial.
The court set a trial date for November 13, 2025.
The second accused, Tfwala, explained that he is the breadwinner in his family. He said that if he was not released on bail, his family would suffer greatly as they depend entirely on him for support.
The third accused, Mabuza, also pleaded for bail, saying that he had a family to take care of. He explained that being kept in custody would make it impossible for him to provide for them.
After considering their requests, the court granted with strict conditions.
The suspects were warned not to commit similar offences while waiting for trial, not to interfere with the Crown’s witnesses, and to make sure they appear in court on all the set dates. Failure to follow these conditions could result in their bail being revoked.
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