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COPS VICTIMISING US – SUSPECTS

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MBABANE – It’s enough!!! After investigations, the Times SUNDAY uncovered names of prominent businessmen who were rounded up by the police for questioning following the kidnapping of businessman Almor Oliveira.


The latter was kidnapped last Sunday morning by unknown men after he had gone to one of his business premises to check on some construction work, which he had been excited about for the past couple of weeks.
He leases out most of the properties and warehouses at the Matsapha industrial site to other businesspeople. He also owns Matsapha Scrap Yard to mention a few.


The businessmen taken for questioning say they are tired of constantly being linked to criminal cases yet at the end, there is no apology or whatsoever when their innocence is proven. One of the businessmen vowed to shoot to kill in the future once such trend shows its ugly head again.


They also say it is very disturbing and embarrassing towards their families to undergo the whole search process particularly because sometimes the police flooded their homesteads in a fleet of police cars carrying rifles.


The businessmen also claim that their children now saw them as thugs while at the same time their business partners also saw them as untrustworthy partners, which end up compromising their credibility as businesspeople. They say such is so disturbing in a way that there is a possibility that there can be future consequences which might be in the form of serious crimes.


One of them, who has businesses in the Lubombo region, said his home was visited by the police while he was outside the country and they raided the whole compound in the presence of his wife and young children as well as his neighbours.


“Police came to my home and searched my house without my consent or rather without a search warrant. After that I was told to report to the police station which I did, hence it becomes difficult to understand as to why they have to search my home without my permission when I am cooperating with them.


“This must stop or else there will be bad consequences in the future as we will revenge because in the long run it is ourselves that suffer. One day I will shoot and kill an officer entering my premises so to have a genuine case than these false accusations,” said the suspect.
He said agreeing to grant the Times SUNDAY the interview was because he was not scared of anything because he was innocent but was only worried about the continuous defamation he is subjected to because of the police.


“In Swaziland I am now a big thug, each and every criminal act is linked to me and that had crippled my businesses and will continue to cripple it.   I have contracts with big and respected companies in the country. Which company would want to deal with a kidnapper? This is affecting my children and family because sometimes the police officers come armed. My wife can also attest to that because she has been a victim of this.”


The businessman argued that if he was part of the kidnapping why would he be still in the country because he should be with the rest of the team so not to miss out on any financial transactions that might take place. He also pointed out that the situation was so bad such that in some instances, the police jumped over wall fences just to raid suspects’ homes.


Another businessman who was also questioned said he had no problem that he was taken in by the police because the reasons given to him were genuine. He said he had a very ironic coincidence that attracted the long arm of the law.
“I really cannot blame the police for questioning me. I was seated in some food outlet with my wife and Oliveira arrived and sat next to us.

 

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