The Eswatini government says repatriation processes of five of the most dangerous criminals deported from the US have begun.
Acting Eswatini government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli says the group will be deported to their native countries in less than 12 months.
“The repatriation processes have already begun with other stakeholders, although at this point it’s very difficult to say how long that process is going to take. We are sure, maybe in less than 12 months, they should all be going back to their countries,” says Mdluli.
The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation has raised concerns with Eswatini over the arrival of the group, saying their countries of origin are unlikely to receive them.
But the Eswatini government has assured its citizens and neighbouring countries that the group of foreign nationals, some convicted of serious crimes, will not pose a safety threat to them.
Mdluli says their decision to take in these criminals is solely based on strengthening their diplomatic relations with the US. Mdluli says two countries from which these criminals come have reached out to the Eswatini government to deport them back home.
“Eswatini has more dangerous criminals than murderers and child rapists. I’m sure South Africa has even more dangerous criminals. We have very, very low rates of prison breaks. Even so, we have no reason to believe that because they have murdered someone in the US, then they will break away in Eswatini and pose a danger to the public. Eswatini is a non-aligned state. And we are friends with the US, but we are also friends with the five countries where the deportees come from. And I can assure you that two of those countries have already reached out to say they want their people back.”
They were convicted of child rape, murder, robbery, second-degree homicide, and assault, among other crimes.
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