By Kouthar Sambo
Open Secrets has published the first two articles in a series on the new leak entitled the Swazi Secrets Leak, exposing the vulnerability of Swaziland’s (Eswatini) financial institutions to predatory behaviour by politicians and corporations alike.
Speaking on VOC’s Drive Time on Tuesday, an investigator at Open Secrets, Abby May, said that a financial investigative unit discovered thousands upon thousands of “very suspicious” transactions taking place between politically exposed individuals.
“Random individuals are coming to Swaziland, able to open a bank, that has the backing of not only the finance minister of Swaziland but also the King himself intervene in these processes,” explained May.
“This is concerning because the difference between Swaziland and other Southern African regions is that it is an absolute monarchy. The politics do not operate the same as it would in South Africa,” said May.
The king’s right-hand man is deemed part of the royal family, and he owns a construction business, explained May, and his business magically seemed to have flourished due to his connection to the king.
“He and his business were able to gain exorbitant amounts of wealth, and we see this reflected in the king and his royal children. You have them on Instagram posting their Bugatti watches, Lamborghini cars while the everyday citizen in Swaziland is living in complete poverty,” detailed May.
Photo: Open Secrets/Facebook
