Transporter murdered over dagga deal gone wrong

MBABANE – Longcirculating
rumours and
allegations about drugs and
other illegal contraband
trafficked by some Swazi road
transport firms with police
involvement boiled over into
scandal and murder last week.
Five suspects were arrested
for the abduction and death of
SMI Logistics manager Calvin
Ryan, who was kidnapped
and brutally murdered in late
May. The suspects, who have
confessed to magistrates their
participation in the crimes,
spoke of a conspiracy to steal
a shipment of Swazi dagga
that was allegedly in Ryan’s
possession and destined
for South Africa, using a
company vehicle.
“Investigations are ongoing
but two officers of the Royal
Swaziland Police Force, a
civilian who pretended to be
a policeman and two other
suspects were arrested,” said
police spokesman Khulani
Mamba at a press conference.
Mamba said a dispute over
dagga motivated Ryan’s
abduction and murder.
A block of compressed
dagga was reportedly found
at the company premises by
police investigators.
Press reports indicated that
the abductors sought to steal
a consignment of dagga in
Ryan’s possession that was en
route to a South African buyer
by claiming they were police
detectives investigating drug
trafficking.
They confronted him at his
flat located on SMI Logistics
company premises in
Matsapha, where the firm has
been in business for decades.
One suspect told
investigators that Ryan had
told them he had already
given police the dagga
and had confessed his
involvement to authorities.
This appears to have been
a ruse by Ryan because
Mamba said there was no
record of Ryan’s confession
and no dagga had been
confiscated by police prior to
his death.
Unable to obtain the
dagga, the suspects
abducted Ryan from his
residence. His body was
discovered ten kilometres
east of Matsapha. Death was
attributed to multiple stab
wounds.