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I’LL PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES – NTUTHUKO

03/01/2021 00:12:00 BY MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE

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MBABANE - “I will plead not guilty to all the charges against me as I had no intention to kill anyone.”

These submissions were made by former Minister of Public Works and Transport Ntuthuko Dlamini in his bail application filed by his lawyer on Thursday.

He argued that at all material times he was acting in self defence

The former minister, who is facing two charges of murder, attempted murder and violating the Arms and Ammunition Act has been in custody since September 9, 2020.

Dlamini has spent three months in custody after allegedly shooting and killing Andreas Tsabedze and former police officer Sikhulu Shongwe in cold blood at Mhlabubovu.

He also stands accused of attempting to end the life of Simon Dlamini by shooting him three times with a pistol.

The incident occurred at Mhlabubovu Traffic Circle, which leads to Bhunya and Mankayane, near the former minister of Public Works and Transport’s shopping complex.

Mhlabubovu is the land under dispute between LaMgabhi and Luyengweni chiefdoms, whose traditional leaders are the late Chief Ndzimanye Dlamini and Chief Lembelele Dlamini respectively.

Both of the men who were shot dead allegedly by the former minister were reportedly from Luyengweni and were part of a group that was travelling with the chiefdom’s inner council (bandlancane) that was reportedly going about allocating land at Mhlabubovu to certain individuals.

In his bail application, which has been filed under a certificate of urgency, Dlamini averred that he was innocent of the charges against him as he never committed them.

“I shall plead not guilty at trial as I have a bona fide defence to the charges,” submitted Dlamini.

Narrating events leading to his arrest, the former minister stated that on September 7, 2020, while at LaMgabhi area, he received information from Derrick Maziya and Sipho Matsenjwa that there was a ceremony being held wherein an unknown person was being allocated a piece of land at Mehlabovu by the authorities of Luyengweni Chiefdom.

“I must state that the piece of land that was being allocated belonged to LaMgabhi Chiefdom and there had previously been a ruling issued confirming that indeed the land at Mehlabovu belonged to the LaMgabhi Chiefdom and not the Luyengweni Chiefdom.

He went to inform the court that he was a member of the LaMgabhi Royal Kraal hence the information being relayed to him about the allocation of the land.

‘i called cops prior

to shooting’

According to Dlamini, at the time, he was at his business premises at LaMgabhi and he immediately went to Mehlabovu to ascertain whether what he was being told was the truth.

He claimed that knowing the volatility of the situation regarding the land dispute, he called the Bhunya Station Commander to alert him of the alleged illegal ceremony that was taking place.

Dlamini said he also told the station commander that he was on his way to verify if indeed it was true that there was such a ceremony. “Upon my arrival at Mhlabubovu, indeed, I found a large group of people having gathered there for the ceremony and it seemed that same had been concluded. I enquired as to what was going on and the response I received was aggressive,” alleged the accused.

Dlamini went on to allege that some unkind words were exchanged between the two factions to an extent that some of them manhandled him and he retreated.

ntuhtuko’s side of

the story

The former minister recounted that while they were still arguing, the complainant in the third count, Simon Dlamini, allegedly stood up carrying a knobkerrie and charged towards me. “I tried to retreat, but he tried to hit me on the head with the knobkerrie,” alleged the former minister.

He said that was when he fired a shot which unfortunately hit Simon.

It was further his submission that after having fired at Simon, Sikhulu Shongwe, the deceased, in count two fired a shot behind him and he (Dlamini) swiftly turned back and fired back twice and he fell.

According to Dlamini, the deceased in count one, Andreas Themba Tsabedze, allegedly stood up charging at him and during the midst of all the chaos, he again fired a shot which unfortunately caused Tsabedze’s death.

“I must state that when I went to Mehlabovu, I had no intention to kill anyone. My firearm was in my possession simply because I carried it whenever I went, especially at my business premises as there had recently been a spate of robberies at the shops in my complex,” contended Dlamini.

He claimed that on August 2, 2020, there was a robbery at a hardware store near his business.

He said that again on August 13 and 14, 2020, a group of three young women committed robberies at his shopping complex and when he tried to chase them, they outran him and got away in their motor vehicle.

“The only reason I was carrying my firearm was to protect my business otherwise same had not been used for a long time hence the charge of being in possession of a firearm with an expired licence. Otherwise, I do have a permit for my firearm,” contended the accused.

The bail application is still pending in court and appearing for the accused is Noncedo Ndlangamandla while Sibusiso Gama from the chamber of the director of the public prosecutions is appearing for the Crown.