Times Of Swaziland: SHOT EX-COP’S CHILDREN IN ESTATE ROW SHOT EX-COP’S CHILDREN IN ESTATE ROW ================================================================================ BY MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE on 16/09/2020 01:12:00 MBABANE – Even before their father’s body is lowered into the ground, family members of the late former police officer Sikhulu Jameson Shongwe are reportedly at each other’s throats over his assets. Shongwe is one of the two members of Luyengweni Royal Kraal Inner Council, who lost their lives after being shot dead, allegedly by former Minister of Public Works and Transport Ntuthuko Dlamini. According to a charge sheet that was presented Dlamini’s first court appearance at the Manzini Magistrates Court, he allegedly shot Shongwe four times. allocating Shongwe, together with two others, were supposedly shot after the LaMgabhi Royal Kraal Inner Council allegedly tried to stop the Luyengweni Inner Council members from allocating land to people at Mhlabubovu. Preparations for Shongwe’s interment are still underway. Three of Shongwe’s children have since moved an urgent application against some of their siblings and relatives. The trio of Sihle, Cynthia and Banele want the High Court to interdict and restrain some of their siblings from denying them access to their paternal grandmother’s home situated at Luyengo. “Their actions are in bad taste and devious in that they do all this even before our father is buried,” argued the three. It is further one of their prayers that their late father’s motor vehicle should be kept at Bhunya Police Station for safety until his estate is liquidated and distributed. Respondents in the matter are Gugulethu Sibongile Dlamini, Nonhlahla, Salebona, Thulebona, Sive and Funa, all Shongwe. The respondents reportedly took the deceased’s motor vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux registered SSD 378 AM, which they are allegedly currently using. The applicants (three children) are further praying for an order directing their siblings to restore all the items they allegedly removed from Luyengo, including unlocking all the doors so that they (applicants) could have access. Assets They also want the court to stop the respondents (other siblings) from using the deceased’s car or any of his assets until such time where the master of the High Court will decide in terms of the law how their father’s assets are to be distributed. “We are children of the deceased Sikhulu Jameson Shongwe who tragically died on Monday September 7, 2020 after he was allegedly shot dead by one Ntuthuko Dlamini in cold blood at Mhlabubovu.” submitted the applicants. They informed the court that when the incident happened, they were at their paternal home in Luyengo as their father had taken them there for the long weekend. According to the applicants, the deceased would frequently take them to Luyengo even though they stayed at KaShali in the Manzini Region. They alleged that Luyengo was where their grandmother lived and it sufficed that their siblings who were the respondents in the matter, never came to Luyengo during the deceased’s lifetime even if he called them they allegedly refused. These are allegations contained in an affidavit whose veracity is still to be tested in court and the respondents are yet to file their papers in the event they are disputing the allegations against them. “We were all shocked after the shooting incident and the following day on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, the respondents arrived and ordered us to leave the paternal home while they took some of the household items, the deceased’s items and locked us out,” alleged the trio. Kicked They highlighted that when the respondents kicked them out, they were not carrying any court order authorising them to do so. “We submit further that we have a right of access to our paternal home as much as the respondents do. They, therefore, have no right to lock us out,” contended the applicants. The matter is still pending at the High Court and appearing for the applicants is Human Rights Lawyer Sibusiso Magnificent Nhlabatsi. The respondents are yet to file their papers.