Eswatini National Police Commissioner Vusi Manoma Masango has said no one will be spared in the investigation into an alleged online gambling syndicate, adding that even senior politicians and government officials would face consequences if implicated.
Responding to claims that the probe had slowed because influential figures were allegedly connected to the syndicate, Masango insisted that the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) “fears no one.”
“No individual is above the law, regardless of rank or political influence and we do not fear them,” he said.
He dismissed suggestions that police were reluctant to act because powerful people were allegedly involved. In vernacular, Masango declared, “Asibesabi!” (“We do not fear them.”) He said officers would arrest anyone found to have broken the law, regardless of their position.
The commissioner stressed that holding public office does not place anyone beyond the reach of the law, and said he too would be arrested if evidence proved he had committed a criminal offense.
Masango acknowledged that the investigation involves multiple institutions and that progress can be affected by court processes. He said police work closely with prosecutors and the Judiciary, and warned that delays should not be interpreted as a lack of commitment by investigators.
Despite these challenges, he said police would continue until the investigation is completed. He added that dismantling the alleged online gambling syndicate has brought Eswatini international recognition, and that law enforcement intends to build on that success.
Masango also referenced Eswatini’s role in global anti-fraud efforts. INTERPOL listed Eswatini among the countries that contributed to Operation First Light 2026, a worldwide anti-fraud operation that intercepted illicit assets worth US$293 million (about E4.81 billion) and led to the arrest of 5,811 suspects across 97 countries and territories.
He said the operation demonstrated what can be achieved when government institutions and international partners cooperate against organized crime. He added that INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza highlighted Eswatini’s contribution for praise at a recent international meeting, saying that intelligence generated in Eswatini helped investigations beyond the country’s borders and contributed to further arrests elsewhere.
Masango further revealed that investigators identified people allegedly defrauded by suspects operating from Eswatini. Although the syndicate allegedly operated within the kingdom, he said victims were located in several other jurisdictions, underscoring the transnational nature of the operation.
“The country was being used as a theater of operation, but the victims were in other jurisdictions,” he said.
He also noted that Cambodia was among the countries where about 200 suspects linked to similar criminal activities were reportedly arrested after intelligence developed during the investigation. According to Masango, fresh investigations into the alleged illegal online gambling syndicate uncovered links to senior politicians, police officers, and immigration officials. Investigators believe some individuals allegedly helped the enterprise operate without detection.
The allegations are set out in court papers filed before the High Court. Masango said members of REPS, working with INTERPOL forensic specialists and other international law enforcement agencies, extracted information from more than 400 electronic devices seized during coordinated raids earlier this year. The devices were confiscated from several premises, including the Castle Hotel in Mbabane, which police allege was one of the syndicate’s main command centers.
He said forensic examination findings have expanded what initially appeared to be an illegal online gambling investigation into an international organized crime probe spanning several continents.
Detective Constable Ntokozo Dlamini of the Organized Crime Unit, a member of the Multi-Agency Task Team investigating the matter, said evidence extracted from the devices allegedly indicates a sophisticated criminal organization that targeted victims in Brazil and India, while allegedly operating illegal online gambling platforms from Eswatini.
In an affidavit filed before the High Court, Detective Constable Dlamini stated that investigators identified apparent links between the alleged criminal enterprise and individuals in positions of authority. He said the evidence allegedly includes Telegram and WhatsApp conversations involving senior politicians, police officials, immigration officials, and other individuals.
The investigations began after police raids targeted foreign nationals suspected of operating illegal online gambling businesses from premises in Mbabane and Ezulwini.
