ESCCOM finance manager gets E50 000 bail

ESWATINI Communications Commission (ESCCOM) Finance Manager Sifiso Sibongimphilo Gulwako has been granted E50 000 bail after being charged with 21 counts of fraud involving alleged transactions worth E691 530.12.

Gulwako, aged 47, of Manzini Extension 6 was required to pay E10 000 in cash, with the remaining E40 000 secured as surety by Judge Mzwandile Fakudze.

He faces allegations that he used his position as ESCCOM’s finance manager to facilitate electronic payments into his personal bank accounts under the pretext of settling bills for businesses and service providers.

Gulwako has denied the allegations in his founding affidavit, stating that he intends to plead not guilty and has a bona fide defence to the charges. “I am innocent of the charges preferred against me, I will plead not guilty to same as I did not steal any money from my employer as alleged,” he stated. The crown had initially applied for him to remain in custody until October 30, pending his committal to the High Court.

In his bail application, Gulwako argued that his continued detention would threaten his employment and affect his ability to support his children, who attend private schools in the country. He told the court that he earned a gross monthly salary of E73 000 and was willing to comply with any bail conditions imposed.

“I am willing to abide to bail conditions deemed fit by this honourable court,” he stated in his affidavit. According to the charge sheet, the alleged fraudulent transactions occurred between December 3, 2025 and July 20, while Gulwako was employed as ESCCOM’s finance manager.

His responsibilities included maintaining the commission’s financial management system, preparing monthly and quarterly financial reports for the chief financial officer, monitoring income and expenditure, ensuring revenue collection and processing payments to third parties. He was also responsible for loading payments onto the internet banking platforms used for ESCCOM’s bank accounts. The prosecution alleged that he abused these responsibilities by misrepresenting payments to ESCCOM’s payment system, resulting in funds being transferred into accounts held in his name. He stated that on the morning of October 18 at around 10am, he returned from his morning run and found several missed calls from people, including numbers he did not recognise. He said he returned a call from his sister Setsabile Gulwako, who informed him that his former wife Philile Motsa and a police officer identified as Mabuza from Mbabane Police Station had been looking for him.

According to his affidavit, both had informed his sister that officers from the Mbabane Police Fraud Unit wanted to see him. He further stated that a tenant at his former home in Siphocosini, identified as Mr Tucker, had informed him that police officers had visited the property at around 6am that day looking for him. Gulwako said he contacted his lawyer, but she was unavailable to accompany him to the police station. At around 4pm on October 18, he said he went to Mbabane Police Station with his lawyer and requested to see Mabuza.

“Mabuza was not in the station and together with my attorney waited for just over 40 minutes and he arrived,” he said. Gulwako said the officer explained why the police wanted to see him but told them the relevant investigators would only be available at 8am the following day. His attorney requested that he be allowed to return home and present himself the next morning. According to the affidavit, Gulwako and his attorney returned to the police station on October 19, as agreed. He said he was interrogated before being arrested by members of the Eswatini Royal Police and charged with 21 counts of fraud. He further argued that his continued incarceration could result in the loss of his job, causing financial hardship for him and his dependants.

Alleged payments to personal accounts

THE first count relates to an alleged E5 620 payment on December 3, 2025, purportedly intended for Amandla Financial Services.

According to the charge sheet, the money was transferred into a First National Bank account held by Gulwako, despite the company allegedly not having rendered any services to ESCCOM.

A second count concerns an alleged E25 150 payment on December 12, 2025, purportedly meant for Sibane Sami Hotel. The prosecution alleged that the hotel had not provided services to the commission and was therefore not entitled to the payment. On January 22, a further E38 847.40 was allegedly diverted into Gulwako’s personal account under the pretext of paying Saphumula SACCO employees monthly savings contributions deducted from their salaries.

The charge sheet alleges that the money was instead diverted for his personal use. A similar allegation concerns E58 020 on February 4, purportedly intended for Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, which allegedly had not provided services to ESCCOM. Another E23 800 was allegedly processed on February 13, as payment to Computronics for services rendered to the commission. The prosecution alleges that Computronics had not provided the services claimed. On February 24, a further E42 932.42 allegedly intended for Saphumula SACCO was also diverted into his account. The seventh count relates to an alleged E7 360 payment on March 11, purportedly meant for Purple Chilli for promotional items and services. The charge sheet alleged that the company had not provided the services.

Insurance, employee savings payments

THE eighth count concerns E15 386.34 allegedly processed on March 13 as insurance premiums payable to Lidwala Insurance for ESCCOM properties.

The Crown alleged that no premiums were paid to the insurer and that the money was diverted into Gulwako’s personal bank account.

On March 26, an alleged E42 932.42 payment intended for Saphumula SACCO was again reportedly transferred into a personal account. Another E22 977 was allegedly paid on March 30 under the pretext of settling a bill for Real Image, which the charge sheet says had not rendered services to ESCCOM.

The 10th and 11th counts relate to alleged payments of E22 977 to Real Image and E24 586 to Voice of the Church, respectively. The latter transaction, dated March 31, was purportedly for advertising services that the Crown alleges were not rendered.

Further alleged transactions involved E62 932.04 for Saphumula SACCO on April 21, E48 357.05 for LTM Aluminium on May 8 and two payments of E31 466.02 each on May 22, all allegedly channelled into accounts held by Gulwako.

The charge sheet alleged that the LTM Aluminium payment was not supported by services rendered to ESCCOM, while the two Saphumula SACCO payments were allegedly diverted for personal use. Another E26 154 was allegedly processed on May 28 as payment to Eswatini Mobile, despite the company allegedly not having rendered services to the commission.

The remaining fraud counts include an alleged E62 932.40 payment to Saphumula SACCO on June 24, E18 544.68 on July 2 and E39 132.80 on July 10, the latter purportedly intended for Eswatini Mobile.

A further E62 932.40 payment allegedly intended for Saphumula SACCO is listed under the count relating to July 20. Amongst the 21 counts he faces, he is accused of contravening Section 4(1)(c), read with Sections 76 and 89(1)(a) of the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011, as amended.

It was alleged that, from December 3, 2025 he unlawfully used money obtained through criminal activity while knowing, or having reason to believe, that the funds were proceeds of crime. The amount cited in the money laundering charge is E691 530.12.