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MAN FOUND WITH EXPLOSIVES, ARRESTED

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MANZINI - Police have arrested a man who was found in possession of explosives and detonators allegedly used to bomb automated teller machines (ATMs) or make bombs.

A detonator can be described as a device or small sensitive charge used to detonate an explosive. Also known as a blasting cap, it is a device used to trigger an explosive device. Detonators can be chemically, mechanically, or electrically initiated, the latter two being the most common. Information gathered is that the accused, Nhlanhla Derrick Gumbi (29) of Sithobelweni, was arrested last week Monday by a team of about 10 police officers from Matsapha and the Serious Crimes Unit (LUKHOZI). He was allegedly found in possession of 36 detonators, 18 blasting explosives as well as dagga weighing 26 milligrammes, which was confiscated in his rented flat situated at Logoba, near Matsapha. The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) is said to have formulated a strategy to apprehend the suspect after receiving information about the explosives, most of which he allegedly kept in his rented house.

Selling

A team of police officers was then assembled to work on the issue, after they had been tipped off that the accused allegedly eked a living through selling the deadly merchandise. After days of investigations, the team of police officers reportedly contacted the accused and arranged that he met them near the Matsapha Weighbridge. It has also been gathered that the police officers who had called Gumbi allegedly pretended to be buyers and showed interest in the dangerous items. “He was given the idea that such explosives and detonators would be in exchange for bags of dagga,” part of the statements submitted in court read.

A day was arranged and the accused was informed by his ‘buyers’ that he would have to meet them at the place on January 6, 2020, which was last week Monday. Information submitted in court through recorded statements was that Gumbi left his house on the day carrying a Nike plastic bag stuffed with all the items and headed to the meeting place. The accused allegedly met up with plain-clothes officers who immediately handcuffed him. He was briefly questioned at the scene before he was bundled into a police van and taken to his house where more items were retrieved. He was later driven to the police station, where he was further questioned.

It was also established that the REPS Operational Support Service Unit (OSSU) Bomb Disposal Unit, which had been called to the scene, informed other officers that upon inspection, it was discovered that the said items nearly exploded at the time they were in Gumbi’s possession as temperatures were very high on the day. “He was almost killed by his own explosives and the detonators as it was a hot day and he had stuffed them all in a plastic bag,” it was revealed in the statements.  When the police took the accused to his house, it was thoroughly searched and some dagga was allegedly found stuffed in a small plastic bag.

During interrogation, Gumbi allegedly told the team of officers that he had no intention of keeping the dangerous explosives and detonators. He is further alleged to have informed the police that the items had been left by a deceased relative, who was on July, 2019 shot by the police. This was after he (relative) had allegedly escaped, together with others, from the Big Bend Correctional facility.

 

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