17 CHARGED FOR E6.6M BUY CASH LOOTING

SITEKI – A total of 17 suspects yesterday appeared at Siteki Magistrates Court charged with allegedly looting property amounting to over E6 million at Buy Cash Hardware at Sithobelweni last Wednesday.

The exact amount of the alleged looted property is E6 668 377. The accused persons appeared before Principal Magistrate Dumisani Magagula. They were all represented by Maxwell Nkambule from Nkambule Attorneys based at Siphofaneni.
Senior Prosecutor Pat Mkhatshwa represented the Crown.

Jointly

In count one, the 17 accused persons are charged for of contravening Section 15 (3) (f) of the Public Order Act No. 12 of 2017 in that upon or about June 30, 2021, and at or near Sithobelweni Buy Cash Hardware in the Lubombo Region, the said accused persons, either each or all of them acting jointly in the furtherance of a common purpose, did unlawfully and wrongfully damage Sithobelweni Buy Cash Hardware and further loot stock valued at E6 668 377.75, and did thereby contravene the said Act.
In count two, the accused persons are charged for contravening Section 18 (1) (c) of the Public Order Act No. 12 of 2017 in that upon or about the 30th of June, 2021, and at or near Sithobelweni Buy Cash Hardware in the Lubombo Region, the said accused persons, either each or all of them acting jointly in the furtherance of a common purpose, did wilfully and unlawfully destroy or damage or do an act that will impair the usefulness or efficiency or impede the working of Buy Cash Hardware, being property used in providing essential services to the community and did thereby commit the said crime.

Alternative charges, in count one, are that the accused persons are charged with the offence of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft in that upon or about June 30, 2021, at or near Sithobelweni Buy Cash Hardware in the Lubombo Region, the said accused either or all of them acting jointly in the furtherance of a common purpose, did wrongfully, unlawfully and with intent to steal, break and enter Sithobelweni Buy Cash Hardware  and did steal items valued at E6 668 377.75, the property of Sithobelweni Buy Cash Hardware in the lawful possession of one Sidumo Simelane and did thereby commit the said crime. Senior Prosecutor Mkhatshwa asked the court to give him time to consult with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office in Mbabane and requested that the matter return to court next week Monday. The accused persons’ lawyer, Nkambule, had asked the court to consider the application of bail as some of his clients were still attending school.

Pray

“I pray that the court considers admitting my clients to bail as this is a bailable offence and the court should also consider that my clients should have appeared in court within 48 hours after their arrest,” he argued.

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