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6-MEMBER HMCS TEAM TO PROBE MPS ASSAULT IN CELL

26/09/2022 09:06:00 Times Reporters

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MBABANE - Six officers have been appointed to lead an inquiry which seeks to establish what happened in the alleged assault of prisoners last Thursday morning.

The inquiry, which started on Saturday, will seek to establish information from the about nine inmates, who include the two incarcerated Members of Parliament (MPs), Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube. This publication on Friday reported that the two MPs, together with seven other inmates, were attacked by warders who had their faces covered in balaclavas. Upon entry, it was claimed that the officers started assaulting the two legislators with open hand claps, fists, kicked them and also used spray guns. As this was happening, the sources alleged that the Correctional officers were using expletives and also claiming that it was ‘an eye for an eye’.

Intervene

Seeing this, it was said the seven inmates occupying the same cell with the MPs tried to intervene and questioned the violence. However, the intervention of the inmates supposedly drew the ire of the His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) personnel, as they supposedly started assaulting them as well. During the skirmish, it was claimed the law enforcers continued to use all sorts of missiles and assaulted all the inmates in the cell. The sources claimed that MP Dube was also pressed with a bed and against the wall such that he sustained an injury to his eye. On the other hand, it was purported that MP Mabuza was assaulted all over the body in such a way that he bled profusely through his nose. The assault was said to have lasted for 45 minutes.

According to sources, during the skirmish, two HMCS officers, who were part of the search party, suffered lacerations and were injured in various body parts. It has since been gathered that the enquiry shall also determine the charges to be levelled against those found to have carried themselves against the Correctional Services Act.

Confirmed

HMCS Public Relations Officer (PRO) Senior Superintendent Gugulethu Dlamini confirmed that an inquiry was instituted to investigate what actually happened on this day. Dlamini was sought for comment to establish what had been uncovered at Matsapha Correctional Facility and if the officers responsible would be taken to task. She said at the moment, details from all relevant parties were being sought, in order to determine what transpired and use the law to deal with it. When asked if the warders had a mission to assault the inmates, inclusive of the legislators, as alleged or were in search of contraband, Dlamini said: “In most instances, Correctional officers engaged in random searches to ensure the safety of inmates and officers alike.”

Dlamini further explained that there were instances when there were extensive searches. In these instances, she said, the administration instituted them based on information they may have. When asked if there were officers who were injured on Thursday, she responded to the affirmative. However, she said the inquiry would assist in establishing and shedding light on any questions which may arise from the allegations purporting that inmates were assaulted. Dlamini was further asked how transparent would the investigations be as there was reasonable apprehension of bias in that Correctional officers were behind the alleged assault, she said the institution was professional and in previous instances had even taken officers to task for being engaged in behaviour and or acts contrary to the mandate of the HMCS.

Contravened

“Some officers who have contravened the Corrections Services Act have been investigated and charged and the same applies with inmates, without taking sides,” Dlamini said. Meanwhile, it is worth noting that there was still an ongoing inquiry into the issue of two cellphones which were found in the possession of the incarcerated Hosea Constituency legislator, Mabuza.This resulted in the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) directing MP Mabuza, to furnish it with detailed information and documents pertaining to the eight officers from HMCS who had accounts at Baceth Investments.

He was also ordered to depose to an affidavit detailing among other things how the officers got to have accounts in his business. The commission is reportedly investigating whether there was any element of corruption when the officers opened the accounts. MP Mabuza is the owner of Baceth Hardware Stores, which has branches across all regions of the country. Baceth Investments is one of the hardware stores which allows customers to open accounts with them for purposes of purchasing building material. The eight officers are now subject to the investigation that has been instituted by the ACC and the police pertaining to the smuggling of two cellphones, whose were found in Mabuza’s possession. The officers whose accounts details are now subject to investigation are Thokozani Mhlanga, Lucky Dludlu, Lasco Leandry, Johannes Tsabedze, Tom Bongwe, Mangaliso Dlamini, Neliswa Dlamini and Bheki Magagula.

Documents

The ACC served the MP with the document directing him to furnish it with the information and documents at the Matsapha Maximum Prison and in the correspondence, the commission requested MP Mabuza to furnish it with certified copies of information detailing opening documents of the customers and/or loan issuance books of the officers, statements of accounts from the date they were opened to the current date and/or loan issuance books and the client’s know your customer (KYC) documents. “Your institution will be required to provide us with affidavits outlining the above information that would be discussed between our investigators and your offices in respect of this investigation,” reads part of the document.

The three-page letter to the MP was signed by the Commissioner of the ACC, Daniel Dlamini. Mabuza was further informed that the request for the information and documents was made in terms of Section 11 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 3 of 2006. Section 11 of the Act provides that: “In performance of the function of the commission to conduct an inquiry or investigation into alleged suspected offences; can direct an executive officer or any public or private body to furnish within such time as specified by the commissioner, any document or a certified true copy of any document which is in possession or under the control of that person and which the commissioner considers necessary for the conduct of investigations into alleged suspected offence.”