PM’S ESCORT VEHICLE SHOT

MANZINI - Prime Minister (PM) Cleopas Dlamini’s escort vehicle was shot at three times while at Mhlaleni on Monday (Boxing Day).

The officer who was driving the vehicle had to speed away to the Matsapha Police Station with two flat tyres. The incident took place in broad daylight, at around 1pm. According to a source close to the matter, the PM’s escort vehicle - a Toyota Hilux GD6 double cab, was travelling two police officers, who form part of the premier’s security detail when the incident took place.

He said the officers had gone to refuel at the Ngonini Operational Support Service Unit (OSSU). He said when the car was about to join the MR3 Public Road at Mhlaleni underpass (bridge), unknown gunmen fired several shots at the vehicle and three of them hit the tyres - on the left side.

Positioned

“It is suspected that the shooters had positioned themselves at the market stalls which are on the left side of the road,” the source said. He said it was believed that the gunmen had two expectations when they were shooting at the PM’s escort vehicle; that it would either stop or overturn and they would get a clear chance to shoot the occupants (officers).

... vehicle speeds off with 2 flat tyres, backup called

MATSAPHA - The officer said during the shooting, the driver sped off despite the fact that both left tyres had been shot and were flat. He said the PM’s escort vehicle was driven at high speed to Matsapha Police Station and none of the officers were injured during the shooting.  Along the way, the source said the officers also called their colleagues from Matsapha Police Station to report the incident and asked for backup.

He said when they arrived at the police station, they found a team of armed police officers and they went to the scene together with their colleagues from the Scenes of Crime Department, who collected evidence. However, he said when the officers arrived at the scene, there was no sign of the shooters and no one seemed to have a clue on which direction they had taken.  Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that a police car was shot at Mhlaleni on Monday.

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