‘Eswatini’s most wanted fugitive’ consents to extradition request from his country

‘Eswatini’s most wanted fugitive’ has consented to an extradition request from his country.

• Sifiso Tfwala has consented to being returned to Eswatini to answer to allegations of killing a police officer and participating in a series of robberies.
• The State said it had finally received original extradition request documents from the kingdom.
• The matter was adjourned for the State to share additional info with the defence.

An alleged fugitive from Eswatini who has been accused of killing a police official in his country before fleeing to South Africa has consented to an extradition request from his country.

Sifiso Tfwala, 33, returned to the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and the State confirmed that it had finally received an original extradition request document from Eswatini officials, paving the way for the matter to move forward.

Tfwala was arrested outside a Shoprite store in the Durban CBD in August during a joint operation between the eThekwini Metro Police Department and the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).

The metro police said Tfwala was also wanted in connection with murder and a spate of robberies.

Interpol said Tfwala was one of Eswatini’s three most wanted suspects and had been on the run since December 2021.

The delays in the delivery of the original extradition request documents had caused the matter to be postponed at least twice.

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On Thursday, State prosecutor Naveen Sewpersad said: “The State is now in possession of an original request from the Kingdom of Eswatini. In addition, we have diplomatic chain letters from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation as well as the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, so we are happy to note that the matter is on track to be finalised soon.”

Sewpersad then called on the matter to be adjourned until Friday (15 September) for the State to share the documentation in its possession with the defence.

“I received the documents late on Wednesday and did not have ample opportunity to make adequate copies for my learned friend (defence attorney),” he said.

Zipho Khanyile, Tfwala’s attorney, did not oppose the request for an adjournment.

Speaking to News24, Khanyile said his client consented to the extradition request because he did not flee Eswatini after allegedly committing a crime in the first place.

Khanyile said Tfwala had moved to South Africa in search of better economic opportunities and was determined to “prove his innocence in his country”.