NYANYALI SUSPECTS WANT BAIL, TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY

MBABANE – Residents of Nyanyali reportedly decided to take the law into their own hands because they were frustrated by the slow progress of the matter where two children in the area went missing.

Police have arrested six members of the community who now stand accused of having a hand in the death of Nomthandazo Nkambule.  

Nkambule (70),  who was suspected to be having information pertaining to the disappearance of the children, died after she was hacked with a slasher, kicked all over the body and further stoned by a mob. The accused persons are Phila Dlamini, Langelihle Sebenele Dludlu, Sandziso Tholinhlanhla Dlamini, Wandile Siphelele Dludlu and Luhlelo Sisekelo Nhleko.

The six suspects have been slapped with a total of seven counts which include assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two murders.

Through their attorney, Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, the accused persons yesterday filed an urgent bail application where they denied to have committed all the offences.

In their application, they submitted that their arrest was as a result of events that occurred at Nyanyali community which had a chequered background.  They informed the court that on December 24, 2020, two children went missing in the community, a thing which did not only shock the community at large, but also brought pain and misery.  The children are related to some of the accused persons.

“We humbly state that there was a vigorous search for the children by members of the community including us. However, the search was undermined by one Thandi Nkambule who publicly confessed to know the whereabouts of the children as she had taken them to a Ngwenya homestead and handed them over to one Sokolile Ngwenya,” alleged the accused persons.

They further informed the court that members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service also came to conduct a search for the missing children. According to the suspects, the police were aided by sniffer dogs in their quest. One of the sniffer dogs, according to the accused persons had been acquired from Montigny Company.

Corroborated

“Both sniffer dogs did not move beyond a Ngwenya homestead, which in the view of the community, corroborated the averments by Sokolile,” contended the accused. It was further one of their submissions that some people from the Ngwenya homestead were taken by the police for questioning, but were later released without giving any feedback to the community. 

“We state that after being frustrated by the slow progress on the case, a mob of over 100 people from the community invaded the Ngwenya homestead and caused harm. As residents of the community we heard of this and went to see what was going on,” contended the suspects.

The accused persons argued that it was, therefore, not true that they participated in the acts thereto and they were not party to the attacks as per the charge sheet.

They further brought it to the attention of the court that following the attacks, most residents of Nyanyali were detained at Hlatikhulu Police Station for questioning and facing possible charges in relation to the arson attacks over a homestead linked to the disappearance of the two Dludlu children in December. 

“It is when the police were invading every homestead and arresting each and every member of the community that we got to know that we were wanted by the police. Reacting to this, we touched based with Indvuna yeNkhundla Bongani Dlamini,” averred the accused persons.

Following the discussion with the indvuna yeNkhundla, the accused alleged that they then called the police and informed them that they could find them at Nkwene Inkhundla if they needed them as they would wait for them there.

“Indeed police came through on January 26, 2021 and took us to Hlatikhulu Police Station, where we were charged with seven offences under the doctrine of common purpose,” averred the accused.

They submitted that during their trial, they would plead not guilty to the charges as they allegedly did not do any of the acts referred to in the charge sheet. It was further their contention that their involvement in the case was the search for the children not the criminality thereof.  

“Pending hearing of our case, we are desirous of being admitted to bail and we submit that we intend to tend a plea of not guilty to the charges preferred against us,” submitted the accused.

The bail application will be heard by Judge John Magagula today and the Crown is yet to indicate its position in the matter.

The matter is pending in court.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: