Times Of Swaziland: MAHWALALA MOST WANTED MAN ARRESTED

MAHWALALA MOST WANTED MAN ARRESTED
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 BY SIBUSISO SHANGE on 12/07/2019 04:04:00


MAHWALALA - It was exactly 9:26am when residents of Mahwalala heaved a sigh of
relief after the arrest of a man alleged to have been terrorising the area.
Mbuso Setilo had nowhere to hide when residents of Mahwalala, Royal Eswatini
Police Service officers in collaboration with Montigny Investments rangers,
combed the forest where he was last seen yesterday.
This was exactly seven days after Setilo appeared in the police most wanted
list.
Setilo is the man from Lomahasha who was wanted by the police in order to assist
them with information which might lead to the arrest of people who continually
committed offences in the area.
Mahwalala is located not far from the Mbabane-Mhlambanyatsi Public Road. The
offences which were committed in the area included rape, murder and
housebreaking with intent to steal.
The rampant crime was a huge concern to the residents.
This, after two minors who attended Nkwalini Primary School were raped and
killed. The gruesome incident was followed by the rape and murder of a pupil of
Saim Christian High School.
While the residents pondered about the incidents, they were devastated by the
kidnapping of an eight-year-old pupil who was allegedly raped at Mahwalala
though she was originally from Nkwalini.
Information
Information gathered from the residents who had sleepless nights since the
incidents happened, was that they decided to join hands and search for Setilo
whom they believed had information that could assist the police in their
investigations.
Thoko Ntshalintshali, a community police member of Mahwalala, said the community
police sacrificed their sleep after they received information that Setilo was
frequently seen buying cigarettes and fat cakes from one woman of the area.
She stated that they were informed that Setilo was seen at the woman’s
homestead at around 2am.
Ntshalinthsali said they decided to camp near the woman’s homestead in order
to verify the information.
She said the latest information was that the woman served the suspect with tea
after he bought cigarettes and fat cakes at her homestead. Upon arrival at the
homestead, the community police members claimed that they enquired from the
woman why she sold cigarettes and fat cakes to the wanted suspect.
“She told us that she was not aware that her client was a suspect because the
man always came with his face covered. She told us that she only became aware of
him after she was told by her child. However, she said the suspect never
returned to her homestead,” said Ntshalintshali.
She mentioned that they remained at the homestead until around 4am before they
decided to patrol a nearby forest.
While patrolling, she stated that one of the community police members saw a
fire.
She mentioned that as they went closer to the fire, one of the community police
members, Mfanimpela Hlatshwako saw a man next to the fire.
“The man took full flight when he saw Hlatshwako,” she said.
In an interview, Hlatshwako confirmed having seen the man at close range. He
stated that he tried to scare him with a knobkerie, however, the man bolted.
“I hit him once with the knobkerrie and it was the last time I saw him as he
ran to the forest,” he said. He said they then called the police who swiftly
came to the scene. When  this reporter  arrived at the scene at around 7am, the
residents, armed police officers and Montigny Investment rangers were about to
comb the forest.
Some police officers and rangers were deployed strategically to monitor all
movements. They also guarded against any person who left and entered the forest.
It was gathered that the officers of the law were deployed at the top of the
mountain and had long range binoculars.
Suspected
Two caves and a slam which were suspected to be used by the suspect as a hiding
den, were discovered in the forest.
While still searching at around 8am, the police officers who were deployed at
the top of the mountain reported that there was a man who was seen sleeping next
to a tree, a few kilometres from where the fire was made.
The search party rushed to the place where the man was seen. When the other
parties arrived at the scene, the man who was identified as Mbuso Setilo had
already been caught. He was wearing a white jacket which had turned black due to
ash and a denim trouser. Information gathered was that the man was caught by one
of the community police members while concentrating on the police officers who
had him under surveillance.