ROYAL FAMILY MEMBERS ROBBED INSIDE CHURCH

MBABANE – What has the world come to? This is the question that begged for an answer after a group of high-profile women, mostly from the royal family, were robbed at gunpoint while praying inside a church.

The strange robbery occurred on Friday night at Ezulwini, about 200 metres from a police post.
Items worth over E140 000, including money, expensive cellphones, jewellery in the form of wedding rings and watches were taken from the congregants during the robbery. 
The prayer, according to one of the victims of the crime, was convened by Balondolozi labancance (wives to princes).

On the prayer’s agenda was, among other issues, prayer for His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Mother, prayer against the ongoing ritual killings in the country, and also to beseech God to enlighten emaSwati to elect people of integrity in the upcoming national general elections.
The prayer was held at a newly-opened Ezulwini branch of the Lobamba Revival Church.

It is situated in Ezulwini along the Mdzimba-Buka junction, next to a shopping complex owned by Liqoqo member and businessman Moses Hlophe, who is known for running VIP Dry Cleaners – one of the oldest businesses in Mbabane.

Women from various denominations met for a four-hour prayer that commenced at about 7pm until about 11pm.
The Balondolozi labancane included wife to Principal Chief of Protocol in the King’s Office Mphiwa Dlamini (son to the late Prince Maguga), Swaziland Boxing Association (SWABA) Chairperson Pearl Dlamini, who is wife to Prince Vusumango, son of Senior Prince Masitsela.

prominent individuals left traumatised

Details of the incident, which left a majority of the women - some of whom are prominent individuals in the corporate sector - traumatised, sound like a fairytale.
According to an eyewitness, the unsuspecting women had just finished the business of the night when the armed bandits struck.
About 18 women and three males, who were leading the instruments team during the prayer service, were robbed by the heartless bandits. 

 “We were just dispersing when four men first went to trick some people who were already in their cars, asking them to come and see something inside the church. A majority of us were still inside the church chatting after the prayer, when suddenly the men shouted and ordered us to all lie down on the floor,” the eyewitness said.
One of the women, spoke with a shaky voice as she narrated how the robbers had the courage to even insult them whenever they tried calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ during the attack.

“As we lay face down, we would find ourselves interceding in prayer, seeking God’s intervention, but the robbers would mock and insult us, saying our God would not save us from them,” she said.
Pearl, whose car had to be kept the whole night at the nearby Ezulwini Police Post, said they were still shocked by the incident, but they hoped that God would emerge supreme at the end of it all.
She confirmed that the prayer was initiated by Balondolozi labancance, as she would prefer to call them, by virtue of being wives to senior princes’ sons.
“We chose the church because this is where Pastor Thandazile Dlamini worships, and I suspect the robbers were attracted by the many cars that had parked outside the church building.

Robbers insult  congregants for praying

“We had just finished the prayer service, and at the time we were drinking tea just to fight off the late night cold. Suddenly, we were attacked. Some tried to pray in tongues, only to be insulted by the boys,” she said.

Pearl said one of the four men was carrying a pistol, and she recalled that the robber would occasionally threaten to shoot them while his other gang members were emptying their handbags in search of any valuable items.

She said the incident was so mind-boggling that at times she felt like she was watching one of the West African movies normally played on Africa Magic, where people were robbed in church, yet it was happening in real life and in Eswatini.

“As they continued to terrorise us, they shouted for the owner of the Ford Ranger parked outside to give them the keys. I had to oblige. Two of the robbers took the car keys, while the one wielding a pistol stayed behind to make sure that we remained rooted to the cold floor of the church.

“At one time, I thought they were driving away in my car because I could hear that they had opened it and the engine was running. They could be heard arguing whether to take it or not, until their colleague, the one with the gun, rushed outside to sort them out. The car was spared and they decided not to take it,” she said.

victims Kicked in the back and on heads

She also said while they did not suffer much physical injuries from the attack, there were those who were kicked in the back and on their heads by the robbers, stopping them from praying to God.

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