MAN SUES STATE E200 000 FOR COPS, ARMY BRUTALITY

MBABANE – The alleged brutality by law enforcers in enforcing the COVID- 19 regulations will seemingly come at a high price for the State.

This is so because a man who claims to have been assaulted by soldiers and members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service is now demanding over E200 000 from the Eswatini Government as compensation.

Exercises

Celani Patrick Shiba of Shiselweni under Chief Mabonya alleged that he was ordered to do some exercises, such as push-ups, and to roll on the dusty and rocky ground.  He was allegedly accused of having failed to comply with the regulations for the containment of the virus.
Through his attorney, Shiba has since instituted legal proceedings against government.  In his particulars of claim, he averred that during the alleged assault by the law enforcers, he lost his car keys and a sum of E200 which was in his pocket.
According to the plaintiff (Shiba), the alleged assault by the police and the soldiers occurred in public and in broad daylight.  He contended that the physical attack was also witnessed by members of the public.

“The members of Royal Eswatini Police Service and the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force assaulted the plaintiff (Shiba) by ordering him to do push-ups and used open hands and steel-toe boats,” reads part of Shiba’s particulars of claim. He told the court that, at all material times, the police and soldiers were acting within the course and scope of their employment by government.
Shiba further claimed that while being assaulted, he vomited and suffered some injuries on his back.

Income

“As a result of the assault by the members of the police and the soldiers, I had to seek medical attention at Nhlangano Health Centre. I was unable to go to work for three days and as a consequence I lost income,” contended the plaintiff.
He submitted that as a result of the alleged assault, he suffered damages to the amount of E201 800.

These are allegations contained in particulars of claim whose veracity is still to be tested in court. The State is yet to file its papers and the matter is still pending in court.  Shiba is represented by renowned Human Rights Lawyer Sipho Gumedze.
Meanwhile, since government enforced the regulations as part of the fight against COVID-19, there have been some incidents where the manner in which security forces treated members of the public had been put in the spotlight. 
A recent case is that of Mbabane prominent lawyer Sabelo ‘Mngo’ Mngomezulu, who reportedly stared death in the face after he was run over by his own car while allegedly being assaulted by the law enforcers who were part of a joint operation. The spine-chilling incident, which left the attorney with fractured ribs and injuries on the chest, happened near Msunduza Sports Ground in Mbabane.

Another recent incident is where two women of Pigg’s Peak were allegedly assaulted by police officers for not staying at home. Our sister publication, the Eswatini News, reported how an 85- year-old woman collapsed and died after security personnel raided her home. The woman was one of those who sold alcoholic beverages in an area situated about two kilometres from the city centre.

Assaulted

A 29-year-old man of Hilltop in Mbabane was also one of the casualties after he was reportedly assaulted with a baton by a police officer on the right side of his head for loitering.  Sabelo Gamedze was admitted to the Mbabane Government Hospital for four days after he reportedly sustained severe injuries

Meanwhile, in the Republic of South Africa, experts have warned that if left unchecked, military and police brutality during the national lockdown could ultimately give way to a revolt.  This is according to a report carried by The Citizen, which is one of the leading newspapers in that country. It was recently reported that a man died in Alexandra after he was reportedly severely assaulted by soldiers while drinking in his garden.

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