Eswatini police chief says political influence will not derail online gambling probe
Police Commissioner Vusi Manoma Masango says officers will arrest anyone implicated in the alleged syndicate, regardless of political rank, even as court procedures shape the pace of the case.
Eswatini.- Eswatini Police Commissioner Vusi Manoma Masango has said the investigation into an alleged illegal online gambling syndicate will continue regardless of whether politicians or senior government officials are implicated.
Masango rejected claims that the probe had lost momentum because of the alleged involvement of influential individuals, saying the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) would arrest anyone found to have committed an offence, irrespective of their position.
He said no one was above the law and stressed that court procedures and coordination with prosecutors and the judiciary could affect the pace of investigations but did not reflect a lack of commitment by investigators.
The investigation has expanded beyond illegal gambling into a wider organised crime case after forensic specialists from INTERPOL and other international law enforcement agencies examined more than 400 electronic devices seized during coordinated raids earlier this year.
According to court documents filed before the High Court, investigators recovered data from mobile phones, laptops, desktop computers and tablets confiscated from several locations, including the Castle Hotel in Mbabane, which police allege served as one of the syndicate’s operational centres.
Detective Constable Ntokozo Dlamini of the Organised Crime Unit said evidence extracted from the devices suggests the network operated illegal online gambling platforms from Eswatini while targeting victims in countries including Brazil and India. Investigators also allege the evidence contains Telegram and WhatsApp conversations involving senior politicians, police officers, immigration officials and other individuals.
Masango said investigators had identified some of the alleged fraud victims, noting that although the syndicate operated from Eswatini, those targeted were located in multiple jurisdictions, highlighting the cross-border nature of the case.
The commissioner also pointed to Eswatini’s role in INTERPOL’s Operation First Light 2026, which led to the seizure of US$293 million in illicit assets and the arrest of 5,811 suspects across 97 countries and territories. He said intelligence developed during the Eswatini investigation contributed to arrests in other countries, including about 200 suspects in Cambodia, and earned recognition from INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.
