Over E10m airtime theft suspects face 4 charges

The two men who were arrested for allegedly defrauding MTN Eswatini of E10 million worth of airtime face four charges of theft, one of which is under the Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act.

Zwelihle Khumalo (37) of KaDlovunga and Ndabenhle Dludlu (29) of Ntontozi, yesterday appeared before Mbabane Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi to answer on four counts of theft of E10 257 000, alleged to have been committed from July 2024.

According to the charge sheet, on count one they are charged with contravening the Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act in that on or about July 2024 to January 2026 at Ezulwini MTN, each or both acting jointly in furtherance of a common purpose did unlawfully and intentionally access a part of a computer system, namely the MTN Eswatini virtual credit or airtime allocation system, without authority or in excess of their authorised access, for the purpose of transferring credit or airtime worth E10 257 000 to several cellphone numbers.

On the second count, they are charged with contravening the Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act in that on or about July 2024 to January 2026 at Ezulwini MTN, each or both acting jointly in furtherance of a common purpose, did unlawfully and intentionally alter, delete or add data, namely creating and disturbing virtual cellphone credit or airtime, into the MTN Eswatini system thereby interfering with the lawful data of the company resulting in a loss of credit or airtime worth E2 055 500.

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On count three, they are charged with theft in that about the period of July 2024 and January 2026 at Ezulwini MTN, each or both acting jointly in furtherance of a common purpose, did unlawfully and intentionally take and steal virtual cellphone credit or airtime to the value of E10 257 000, the property or in the lawful possession of Sifiso Simelane in his capacity as Senior Manager of Financial Operations at MTN Eswatini.

The charge sheet further states that they are also charged with money laundering in that between July 2024 and January 2026 at Ezulwini MTN, each or both acting jointly in furtherance of a common purpose, did unlawfully and intentionally possess or use money, which had been obtained through the commission of an offence while knowing or having reason to believe that the aforesaid money had been obtained through the commission of an offence.

The Crown applied that they be remanded in custody until April 23 pending their committal to the High Court. The Crown further applied, in terms of Section 52 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, that the exhibits be detained; however, their lawyer applied that the application must be kept in abeyance until April 23.

“My learned friend knows that there has to be a warrant obtained in order to get the exhibits,” their lawyer submitted.

The court then ordered that the duo be remanded in custody until April 23 pending their committal to the High Court.