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WE ALL NEED ANSWERS

19/01/2018 01:16:00 By Martin Dlamini

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A nation awakes each day with bated breath hoping for an arrest in the killing of prominent businessman Victor Gamedze that occurred in Ezulwini last Sunday afternoon.

For many, it is five days too many after the incident; particularly in an environment where the social media has literally put to trial and convicted the suspect killers.

The danger with this kangaroo court lies in condemning the innocent while the guilty pop bottles of Champagne in the background while watching the social media convicts fry. Such is the cruel nature of crime and the power of social media. All the more reason we need our law enforcement agencies to put their best brains to the task and bring the culprits to book as soon as yesterday.

Making this case all the more urgent is that high profile citizens are being linked to the killing and a security threat to their lives and that of their families now exists. The nature of their jobs also demands the complete absence of doubt in their integrity.

Yes, emotions are high in many quarters but let us not lose sight of logic which dictates that every person is innocent until proven guilty. Rather, let us direct our energy towards providing police with every possible clue that may help lead to the successful prosecution of the perpetrators. Opportunists should also desist from taking advantage of this situation to fuel unnecessary tensions, because in our eyes it comes across as an effort to divert the investigation from the real culprits who could include people always seen right next to the deceased.

We are all keen to see justice in this case which has brought to the fore the need to zoom in on areas that deserve serious attention if we are to curb a rise in this form of crime in this country.

Police called a press conference yesterday morning and while we are given assurances of an imminent arrest, we cannot overlook the question around the quality of intelligence in the country which has, once again, been put to the test. For such a small country, it shouldn’t be too difficult for officers to monitor volatile situations and be proactive to avert serious crimes like the assassination of Gamedze that has left this nation reeling in shock.

The credibility of our law enforcement agents is seriously at stake following this shooting, particularly having to deal with this high profile case so close to the unresolved kidnapping of Manzini businessman Almor Oliveira, who is still missing and feared dead.
To their credit, police have a few suspects behind bars in the Oliveira case but the family remains without a body to bury. In Gamedze’s case, we expect more than just suspects in custody.

The nation deserves to see sentencing of all the people who ordered the killing.
Another area that needs urgent attention is the level of security at informal crossings. The suspect assassins are believed to have left the country by jumping the fence or using an informal crossing at Lundzi. While it is regarded as a service of convenience for people living along the periphery, numerous questions have to be asked of the threat that informal crossings pose to the security of this country. Just last week a man from South Africa was apprehended with a pistol in his bag on his way into the country.

This suggests that such people have tried their luck before and succeeded. It could happen that this pistol was destined for sale locally and could have been used to claim another life. Gamedze may have been killed by a gun smuggled through these informal crossings so it’s time to revisit this dangerous arrangement by providing 24 hour monitoring. Our idle army should demand documentation to assist in identifying the users of these exit and entry points.

We also need to start making some serious investment into installing surveillance cameras for all our streets, major roads and frequented public places. This could go a long way in reducing crime as it is apparent that people can kill and kidnap others at will because they can easily escape identification in a country that has serious shortcomings in surveillance technology. We cannot have a situation where people park a car next to a road of a busy public place, kill somebody and walk away without being identified.

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MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE
May I take this opportunity to extend sincere condolences to family for the untimely death of Victor Gamedze last Sunday. Their Majesties and the country are, no doubt, more the poorer with the loss of an influential citizen who had achieved much in sports and business, creating job opportunities for many Swazis. He had much more to contribute to the local economy. We pray that the Almighty God will be with his family, relatives and friends during this difficult period. May they find comfort and strength in the book of Isaiah 41 verse 10: “Do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.”