By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Madala Bongnkhosi Mhlanga, the Deputy Speaker in the House of Assembly and Chairman of the Parliament Public Accounts Committee(PAC) led a high level delegation that travelled to India last week, as part of the ongoing investigation into the multibillion looting of public funds within the Ministry of Health.

The alleged multibillion looting that triggered shortage of drugs in public hospitals, subsequently resulted in the death of hundreds of emaSwati and the collapse of the health system.

But an independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News uncovered that, the trip to India was funded by donors linked to the United States(US) and, the interest of the donors in the investigation was allegedly triggered by the fact that, part of the looted monies came from donors.

But the insiders asked this journalist not to disclose the name of the US linked donor organization, the trip to India was allegedly meant to verify information from a company where SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff was sourcing the drugs he supplied to Government.

“Yes we can confirm that, we are interested in the investigation but can you please hold the story until they come back from India because your story if published prematurely and, while they are in India, might place them in danger as the suspect is highly connected. Once they come back, then you can publish,” said the insider within the donor organization when speaking to this journalist last week.

The insider confirmed the story after this investigative journalist obtained flight tickets for members of the PAC, the travel documents to India included those of Funduzi Forensic Services Director Zakhele Dlamini and Auditor General(AG) Timothy Matsebula.

But SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff does not only stands accused of looting billions of public funds within the Ministry of Health and with impunity, he allegedly supplied expired drugs thus placing hundreds of emaSwati in danger.

As a result, these serious “allegations are beginning to attract the attention of the international community” as dozens die in public hospitals amid shortage of drugs.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Sunday, Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga confirmed the trip to India but, declined to share further information “citing Parliament Standing Orders that restricts” him from discussing such issues outside Parliament.

“I can confirm that PAC visited India on Fact Finding Mission on issues raised on Auditor Generals reports as you may be aware that we have also visited Lesotho, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and our last stop will be Mozambique. Let me not divulge the contents of our visits up until it's tabled in Parliament least I will be in breach of Parliament Standing Orders.The visits to these countries are by virtue of Section 129 (5)(c) of the Constitution of Eswatini, which empowers the PAC to investigate abroad,” said the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff, the influential, kpowerful and politically connected Indonesian businessman, declined to comment about the matter.

But just when the PAC members, Auditor General Timothy Matsebula and Funduzi Forensic Services Director were about to travel to India last week, both the Times Sunday and Swazi Observer ran a stories, discrediting Funduzi Forensic Services and, the report that was tabled and subsequently adopted by Parliament.

Kareem Ashraff has been using the Swazi Observer and other media entities to cast aspersions on the Auditor General, Funduzi Forensic Services and the Public Accounts Committee in an attempt to evade accountability.

But the corruption within the Ministry of Health that triggered the health crisis, has been a subject of a high level investigation by this Swaziland News and other transparency and accountability institutions that include the Parliament Public Accounts Committee.

It has been disclosed that, Kareem Ashraff might be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) should the donors who pumped-in millions in support of the Ministry of Health amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals, decide to formally file a criminal complaint.

United States donors normally make a follow-up after donating monies to ascertain if the donated funds were utilized or used as per the approved project proposals.

But in the event allegations of corruption emerge, the FBI might investigate particularly, if the corruption and/or money-laundering involved US Dollars.