WIFE HELD FOR BUSINESSMAN’S MURDER 4 YEARS LATER

MANZINI – In a twist of events, a suicide case of four years ago has now turned to be murder as police have arrested the wife to the late businessman, Bongani Dlamini.

The wife, Hlobisile Mamba of Ngololweni, stands accused of having murdered her husband in a case that was first investigated as a suicide in 2017. Police never closed the docket of the suicide case and four years later, they have made a breakthrough. Dlamini is the businessman who, on May 18, 2017, left relatives, family and friends with many questions on whether he had actually gunned himself down in a suicide, or if he was murdered. The businessman was found in his house located at Madonsa in Manzini with a gunshot wound, which it is believed caused his death. Reports at the time, were to the effect that he had shot himself in the right lower jaw. Dlamini ran restaurants and a welding and boiler-making company attached to other companies situated in the Lubombo Region.

Versions

This publication reported that versions of the businessman’s death had differed among relatives and friends as there were allegations that the businessman heard weird noises from outside while at his home at 3am on May 18, 2017, and decided to walk out of the house through the bedroom he shared with his wife, Mamba. It was reported that the bedroom had a glass door and a balcony which Dlamini had used to exit, to check who the people were and what they wanted. While outside, it was reported that he was shot in the jaw and neck while checking where the noise was coming from. Another report, which the police had seemingly strongly believed at the time, was that the businessman took his firearm and shot himself just outside his bedroom door, possibly due to personal troubles that he was going through. It was suspected that the businessman had financial challenges. Having heard the gunshot, his wife came running to him, held him from the back and took him into the house. It was said he fell and became unconscious.  That is when Mamba is said to have raised the alarm and police were informed that the businessman had committed suicide.

Dlamini was reportedly rushed to Mkhiwa Clinic, where he was certified dead upon arrival by a doctor. In addition, the pistol purportedly used in the incident was found and kept by the police as an exhibit. This publication reported at the time that on the contrary, other people who were close to the businessman shared that as far as they knew, he did not have personal or financial challenges which could have forced him to kill himself using his own gun. Meanwhile, fast forward to four years later, the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has arrested Mamba, who is now a suspect in the murder of her husband.

Converted

The suicide inquiry file has now been converted into a murder docket. This was confirmed by Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati. She said in the enquiry file that was initially opened in 2017, a 50-year-old man of Madonsa allegedly shot himself once in the head. Vilakati revealed that investigations carried out by the Serious Crimes Unit, popularly known as Lukhozi, had brought in new evidence which led to the arrest of the 37-year-old woman who was the wife to the deceased and she had since been charged with murder. She was 33-years-old when the incident happened.

Mamba made her appearance yesterday before Manzini Acting Principal Magistrate Sindisile Zwane. While waiting for her case to be heard, she had a serious and self-contained demeanour. Mamba would be seen looking down and then tapping her foot.  Notably was that there were not relatives or friends who had come to give her moral support. When she was called into the accused dock, Mamba calmly stood and went slowly towards the dock. Meanwhile, Magistrate Zwane explained that Mamba’s matter was a capital case, which should be heard at the High Court. Zwane mentioned that Mamba would be remanded while awaiting bail. The matter will be heard on September 15, 2021.

Information gathered was that the enquiry file was never closed as investigations had been ongoing since 2017 when the incident took place. The sources within the police service revealed that after a post-mortem on the deceased was conducted, the investigators carried out investigations by bringing experts from different fields in a bid to conclude the matter. The sources said as the investigators were working hand-in-hand with experts, they allegedly collected pieces of evidence which they combined and resulted in the arrest of the late businessman’s wife.

Evidence

In fact, the sources alleged that the pieces of evidence which were collected by the investigators from the different experts, which included the post-mortem results, led the police to believe that the late businessman’s wife allegedly had a case to answer. As a result, they claimed that the police officers who were working on the matter also approached the prosecution with the evidence they had and it was convinced that the wife allegedly had a case to answer, hence her arrest. After the late businessman’s wife was detained on Tuesday, the sources said she was taken to Mafutseni Police Station, where she was first asked to assist the police with information regarding the matter. Thereafter, they said she was arrested and charged with the murder of her husband. The sources claimed that the merits of the new evidence which the police had been putting together since 2017, would be presented in court when the matter is heard.

According to the charge sheet, on or about May 18, 2017, while at Madonsa in the Manzini Region, the accused person allegedly killed Dlamini, a 50-year-old man of the same area, allegedly by shooting him once in the left lower jaw, thus she is facing a murder charge. Madonsa is a suburb area, which is located on the east outskirts of the city of Manzini.

- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY SIBUSISO ZWANE

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: