WARDER KIDNAPPED, SHOT, DIES IN HOSPITAL

MBABANE - Unknown men have killed yet another State security officer.

This time around, they kidnapped, assaulted and shot a warder, who was stationed at the Sidwashini Correctional Services facility.
Bheki Mike Mtsetfwa (44) of KaBhudla died while undergoing treatment at the Mbabane Government Hospital. It was gathered that Mtsetfwa joined the Correctional Services in 2018. The kidnapping and killing of the warder happed two days after the brutal murder of two police officers who were gunned down by unknown men while executing their duties in Manzini.

Statistics

Current statistics show that seven State security forces personnel had been killed since the start of the ongoing political unrest, which started last year.
Correctional officers said three men arrived at the Sidwashini Correctional Services facility in the company of a uniformed warder, who was also stationed at the same institution, at around 11:55pm on Wednesday. The warder, Wandile Gina, was off duty when he arrived with the unknown men at the Sidwashini facility. It was gathered that Gina, who was driving a white single cab van with the trio, approached his colleague at the guardhouse and claimed that he was at the institution to deliver a parcel from the country’s authorities to one of the superiors.  

Missing

Gugulethu Dlamini, HMCS Public Relations Officer, shared that it was not clear as to what actually transpired after Gina had approached Mtsetfwa, who later went missing from his post. Dlamini stated that the men drove in and parked their motor vehicle at the parking lot. She said they were informed that the four men, including Gina, proceeded to the gate leading to the prison and requested to enter, claiming that he (Gina) was there to deliver a parcel to the superiors.

It has been independently gathered that the main prison gate leads to the armoury. It was noted that the men and the warder drove past two guardhouses before reaching the prison gate, where they were blocked by an officer. However, the second guardhouse was unoccupied at the time.
“We were told that the officer at the gate doubted Gina, because of the time he brought the supposed parcel to the institution. We were told that the officer asked Gina how come he brought the parcel at night, considering the current situation in the country.

“We learnt that the officer realised that Gina was in the company of three other men, who were wearing coats and had their faces covered with masks when he peeped through the spy window. The officer then climbed the steps to see what was really happening. It is believed that the men thought the officer was on his way to raise the alarm when they heard him climbing the steps,” she said. Dlamini mentioned that the quartet quickly left the prison premises.  She shared that the officer then called Mtsetfwa, whose cellphone rang unanswered, to ascertain what had happened. She stated that when other officers went to check on their colleague; they discovered that he was nowhere to be found.

Discovered

“They discovered some cables at the guardhouse which created the impression that their colleague had been tied and kidnapped. Mtsetfwa’s cellphone was found on top of the register book.  We then informed the police about the missing officer,” she said. Dlamini stated that while searching for Mtsetfwa, they received information to the effect that he had been found by a security guard dumped at Ngwenya. She said Mtsetfwa was rushed to the Mbabane Government Hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment.

When asked what his abductors might have wanted from the Correctional Services facility, Dlamini said their intention was unknown. She said it would not be wise to speculate since the intentions were known to the people behind the act. However, she stated that the men took a service rifle from Mtsetfwa. Impeccable sources informed this publication that the intention might have been to steal guns at the armoury. During a visit to the Correctional Services facility, senior officers were found engaged in a meeting. The senior officers then inspected the premises, including the guardhouse. At the time, police officers had recorded statements and collected evidence.

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