High court – A Swaziland National Association of Teachers Medical Aid Scheme (SNATMED) employee, Sabelo Welcome Msibi, was arrested on April 2, 2026, over allegations of defrauding the scheme of E649 964.84. He has been granted bail by the High Court under strict conditions.
Msibi was accused of misrepresenting to David Dlamini, SNATMED’s chairman, that funds meant for service providers had been paid, while the money was allegedly redirected to another account between January 2024 and June 2025.
The court granted bail by consent, ordering Msibi to deposit E6 500 with the Treasury and provide sureties of E8 500, bringing the total bail to E15 000. Before release, he must surrender his passport or any travel documents and is prohibited from applying for new ones.
After his release, Msibi is required to report in person at the Manzini Police Station between 8am and 4pm, starting the first Friday after his release and subsequently every last Friday of the month. He must remain in Eswatini, avoid contact with any prosecution witnesses, and provide his residential address to the investigating officer.
In a founding affidavit, Msibi stated he intends to plead not guilty, claiming he was not involved in the alleged fraud and was implicated only through his wife, who is co-accused and also employed by SNATMED. He noted that he has no previous convictions.
His lawyer, Martin N. Dlamini, described the matter as urgent, citing that Msibi’s continued detention could result in the loss of his employment and leave his young children vulnerable. Msibi has been held at Manzini Police Station while awaiting transfer to the Manzini Remand Centre.
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