Three individuals arrested for allegedly forging Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) tickets have been banned from attending any PLE-hosted matches until the conclusion of their court case.
Vusi Zulu (33) of Bhunya, Zandile Lukhele (32) of Sigangeni, and Sonto Hongwane (29) of Mbabane appeared before Magistrate Philisiwe Simelane at the Manzini Magistrate’s Court yesterday, facing charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering. Zulu is the first accused, Lukhele is the second, while Hongwane is the third accused. During their appearance, the second and third accused were represented by legal practitioner Martin ‘Internash’ Dlamini.
The trio, believed to be football fans, were reportedly caught red-handed by police selling fake match tickets from a vehicle parked outside Mavuso Sports Centre during a PLE double-header on Saturday.
According to the charge sheet, the accused are alleged to have acted jointly in furtherance of a common purpose, fraudulently misrepresenting counterfeit tickets as authentic PLE-issued ones. The fraudulent activity is said to have resulted in a financial loss of E1 200 to unsuspecting spectators.
On the first count, the Crown alleges that the three deliberately misled members of the public by passing off the fake tickets as legitimate, knowing fully well they were not authorised by the PLE. They were thus charged with fraud.
The second count is of forgery. It is alleged that, on the same day and location, the accused reproduced and duplicated 24 PLE match tickets with the intention of selling them to football fans.
The tickets were reportedly forged and not recognised as valid by the league. The Crown contends that the accused knowingly committed the act to the prejudice of the PLE, which was represented by Sihle Ndwandwe.
Forged
The final charge relates to uttering, with the prosecution claiming that the trio, again acting jointly, knowingly offered the forged tickets for sale, fully aware of their inauthenticity, thereby further deceiving members of the public and inducing losses to the PLE.
During the bail application, lawyer ‘Internash’ told the court that his clients worked as labourers in the textile industry, earning E1 400 per month. He added that both had dependants who relied solely on their income.
Dlamini requested the court to set bail at a minimal amount, arguing that the trial was scheduled soon and that his clients were known to the Crown. He proposed bail of E1 000, suggesting that his clients report to the officer-in-charge at the stadium whenever attending matches. He further assured the court that they would comply with all bail conditions and refrain from mingling with others at football venues.
The first accused also submitted a separate bail application.
While the Crown did not oppose bail, it emphasised the seriousness of the charges and urged the court to impose an amount sufficient to ensure the accused would return for trial. Additionally, the Crown requested that strict conditions be attached to the bail, including non-interference with State witnesses and a prohibition on attending any soccer match hosted by the Premier League of Eswatini until the matter is resolved.
Magistrate Simelane granted the Crown’s application, setting bail at E3 000 for each accused. The court also endorsed the condition that the accused must stay away from all football pitches and stadiums hosting PLE matches.
The trio is expected to return to court on July 1 for trial.
