Times Of Swaziland: DRAMA AS COPS ARREST MP BACEDE MABUZA

DRAMA AS COPS ARREST MP BACEDE MABUZA
================================================================================
 BY STANLEY KHUMALO on 06/08/2020 01:10:00


MANZINI – Residents of Coates Valley in Manzini yesterday witnessed a dramatic
arrest of a legislator, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza.
His arrest follows the issuance of a warrant for his apprehension for
obstruction, which was, however, not explained.
Mabuza came out of his premises, a double-storey mansion, looking immaculate in
a navy blue slim-fit suit, white shirt and black shoes. He coordinated his look
with his shop, Baceth Hardware branded mask.
His premises are located along Kelly Street, in Coates Valley and he exited the
compound to address the police at about 8:38am.
The elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Hosea Constituency had to be
‘assisted’ through the use of ‘minimal force’ by the police to board a
kombi that ferried him to the Mbabane Police Station.
This was after he had made a number of demands to the six plain-clothes police
officers, before boarding the vehicle.
Demands
The demands included that he did not want to be transported in the Toyota
Quantum that was parked about 10 metres from his gate. The legislator said the
reason he was not comfortable with travelling in the police kombi, was that he
did not know their COVID-19 status.
“I don’t know your status and there is no thermal scanner to help ascertain
your body temperature among other things. You are also standing in close
proximity with each other, and are not practising social distancing,” Mabuza
said.
Thereafter, the legislator requested to be chauffeured in a Nissan Bakkie used
by the Scenes of Crime Department. The police van was parked strategically in
front of the gate to block any vehicle into, or out of the compound.
The lawmaker said he was comfortable with being transported in the bakkie, as
travelling in the Quantum would be detrimental to his health. Worth noting is
that mini-buses/ kombis are permitted to ferry people not exceeding 80 per cent
of their capacity.
Mabuza explained to them that in his vehicle, he travelled alone.
It was at this instance that National Desk Officer -crime-Clement Sihlongonyane
informed the legislator that he was now under arrest and had forfeited that
luxury.
“Honourable (MP), we’ve now arrested you and you need to come with us or
should we take it that you are not complying with the warrant of arrest?”
Sihlongonyane asked.
The legislator responded to the negative, but instead walked towards the back of
the bakkie, demanding that he be transported in it. While this was happening,
Mabuza had requested some of the people within his compound to take pictures and
videos of what was happening.
The police calmly informed him that the vehicle he wanted to board was not there
to ferry him but was used to take corpses to the morgue.
Complicate
One of the police officers was heard repeatedly saying: “Honourable, don’t
complicate things.”
At some instance, the MP requested to be hand- cuffed as the police were there
to arrest him. His plea was ignored but instead, one officer offered him a
sanitiser to use; however, Mabuza informed them that he had his own.
Subsequent to this, tempers started to flare as the back and forth engagement on
the mode of transport issue had taken over 20 minutes. The police started to
‘assist’ the legislator by walking him towards the police kombi while
clinging onto his left arm.
This was when Mabuza made a call to an unknown person, narrating what was
happening. While still on the phone, the pace escalated and at the sliding door
of the kombi, ‘minimal force’ was used such that he landed on the
three-seater seat and sprawled across, while asking one police officer why he
was being choked.
Another police officer had also lost his cool as he questioned the legislator
why he had punched him in the face. This scuffle drew the attention of the quiet
residential area as motorists passing by looked on at what was happening.
The police left after 9am while they claimed to have arrived at the premises at
about 6am.