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SPLM MEMBER ARRESTED FOR E140 000 SOUTH GATE HEIST

16/05/2022 08:45:00 Times Reporter

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MBABANE – A founding member of the Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has been arrested in connection with the South Gate Shopping Centre heist at Ngwane Park.

The robbery was committed on May 5, 2022 and in the process, two cash-in-transit security guards were shot as the robbers fired multiple gunshots. They fled with about E140 000.
The SPLM founding member, whose name is known to this publication but will not be revealed for now as he is yet to make his court appearance, was said to have been arrested last week.

According to impeccable sources, he was first taken for questioning at the Manzini Police Regional Headquarters. During the questioning, it was gathered that he was then detained after police confiscated a gun. The gun was said to have had its serial numbers scratched. According to impeccable sources, the gun is currently being subjected to forensics to establish if it had not been used in the commission of other criminal activities. An impeccable source said the police also wanted to ensure that the gun was not used in incidents wherein police officers were being targeted by unknown gunmen. The President of SPLM, Vusi Shongwe, when sought for comment on whether the organisation was aware of this development and what was its position, said: “Yes it’s a fact that the suspect is a dedicated and committed member of our organisation and the revolution in general. He sits at the national command of the SPLM as you already know.”

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Shongwe further said they could not comment on the allegations, as they believed in the rule of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court. He said the accusation against the suspect still remained an allegation. Meanwhile, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that a suspect was arrested following the heist committed at Ngwane Park. Vilakati said on Friday, at about 9am, Matsapha police arrested and charged a 44-year-old man of Ndunayithini for being found in possession of a 9mm pistol (serial number scratched) and 12 live rounds of ammunition without a licence or permit while at Logoba (Sibayeni). She said the suspect would appear at the Manzini Magistrates Court.

On the other hand, the shot cash-in-transit security guards work for Cash Security Services and they are recuperating at a health facility. Worth noting is that, the shopping centre is located metres away from Zakhele Police Camp and there is a space that was allocated for a police post. According to a witness, the heist was carried out by six men who had arrived at the shopping centre in the morning. The witness informed this publication that on the day of the robbery, some of the robbers were disguised as shoppers and moved from one shop to another while others placed themselves in strategic areas within the shopping centre, including the entrance/exit gate, which is on the left side of the complex.