JUDGE DRAWS GUN IN SELF -DEFENCE

MBABANE – Industrial Court Judge Abande Dlamini had to draw his gun in self-defence after a confrontation with community police near a dump site at Mbekelweni.

The altercation happened at an area within the dump site where the disposal of rubble is said to be prohibited.
Dlamini pulled out the gun and warned six community police to refrain from coming closer to him after one of them, who is said to have been armed with a bush knife threatened to hack him.

It started when the judge was found at the dump site discarding rubble in the said prohibited area. The community police approached the judge after his car, a white 4x4 Ford bakkie was spotted disposing the rubble.

Dlamini was in the company of two men in the car.
“We approached the judge and told him that littering was prohibited in this area. He seemed to heed our advice. We made him collect the rubble he had disposed at the dump site.

“We then showed him an alternative spot, which was a nearby dirt road with potholes, where he could dispose the rubble. A while later, the judge came back to us after he had disposed the rubble and pointed a gun at us while issuing threats,” alleged the community police.

He said they were puzzled by the judge’s behaviour but they stood their ground and made it clear that if he wanted to shoot them, he should do so, to which the judge is alleged to have cocked the gun, sending shivers down the spines of the community police.

The community police, who asked not to be named in fear for his life, said they retaliated and promised to assault the judge with slashers and bush knives. At the time, he said there was tension at the dump site as there was a near fatal brawl between the judge and the community police.
“We charged towards him and threatened to assault him. We believe that his threats were a violation of our rights.
He cannot get away with pointing a gun at us and uttering threats.

We have reported the matter to the police and we hope justice will prevail,” said one of the community police.
Interestingly, the community police are the same ones who caught a couple having sexual intercourse at the dump site. Just days after they interrogated the couple, they survived a drive-by shooting. Two cartridges were found the next morning where the shooting took place.

However, up to date, no arrests have been made and the community police are unhappy about this.

Waste

Over the years, the municipal council has been making giant strides in promoting waste minimisation practice to reduce the amount of waste taken to the landfill.
As per the Litter Regulations Act of 2011 in the country, if any person is found littering in public, they stand to be arrested or are compelled to pay a E50 spot fine if they are caught throwing items through windows.

The judge was among the over 300 people who were awarded by His Majesty King Mswati III with Swaziland’s 45th Anniversary Independence Medals.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: