COPS KILLING: SUSPECT BLAMES SWAYOCO NEPHEW

MBABANE – The man who was allegedly found in possession of firearms purportedly used in the murder of two on-duty traffic police officers in Manzini is pointing fingers at his nephew, a SWAYOCO member.

German Robert Dlamini, of Endlinilembi in the Manzini Region, has filed an application for bail in which he narrated how the firearms got to be at his homestead. His application for bail is opposed by the Crown and it will be argued tomorrow.

German was arrested together with a member of the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) Ncamiso Mabuyakhulu, who is his nephew. He accused Mabuyakhulu of being the one who brought the firearms to his homestead. The third accused person is Philani Sihlongonyane, who is a member of the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO). Together they face a total of 29 charges.

The charges include the murder of State security officers, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery and malicious injury to property. German appears in five counts of contravening the Arms and Ammunition Act and two for the murder of two traffic police officers. Some of the firearms in question are two guns that were used in the murder of the pair of traffic police officers who were on duty near Grand Valley in Manzini. The officers are Sifiso Ivin Mthembu and Sonnyboy Dlamini. They were killed on October 18, 2022. The firearms allegedly used in the murder of the officers were an R4 and R1 rifles.

Bail

In his application for bail, German said he was innocent of the charges. He said he would plead not guilty to the charges. The accused told the court that he was arrested by Manzini police on November 20, 2022. In his defence, he told the court that in November last year, his co-accused, Mabuyakhulu, who is his nephew, paid him a visit and spent the night at his homestead. He said Mabuyakhulu was in the company of his girlfriend. German said after his nephew and his girlfriend had left the next morning, he received a call from the former’s girlfriend who informed him that she had seen something suspicious under the bed in the rondavel where they spent the night.

According to German, he found two firearms under the bed and hid them outside the homestead. He said he waited for Mabuyakhulu to enquire about the guns from him. He submitted that in the morning of November 19, 2022, a fleet of police vehicles arrived at his homestead together with Mabuyakhulu and another man unknown to him.
He said the police informed him that Mabuyakhulu had left some items at the homestead the last time he was visiting. Mabuyakhulu pointed out the house where he slept with his girlfriend and they looked under the bed, but the guns were not there.

“I was questioned about them and I informed them that Ncamiso’s (Mabuyakhulu) girlfriend had called me and told me that she had seen something suspicious under the bed when she was cleaning and I had taken the guns out of my home just the previous day. “I duly showed them where I had hidden the guns and Ncamiso confirmed that indeed they were his. I was then ordered to report at the Manzini Regional Police Headquarters,” said Mabuyakhulu.

He told the court that he was informed that he would be called when required by the investigator and Mabuyakhulu was kept in custody. On November 23, 2022 at 7am, according to German, he received a call from the investigating officer, calling him to report at the High Court. He said he was remanded in custody at the High Court and was taken to Matsapha Maximum Prison. German told the court that he was neither interrogated nor questioned on any of the murder or robbery charges. Two firearms, he submitted, were taken from his homestead and they were R1 and R4 rifles.

“I was not even aware that these firearms had live rounds of ammunition inside them. The firearm referred to in count 26 (9mm) was not retrieved in my presence. I do not have any knowledge of same and I have since gathered that I’m implicated therein because the firearms which were left at my homestead were allegedly used in committing the murders in court 9 and 10 (murder of traffic officers),” German added.

Mistake

German informed the court that he was not affiliated to any political party but was employed as a driver at a quarry company. “I am just an old man who made a mistake by failing to timeously report the presence of firearms in my home, for which I am regretful,” German added. He said the safety of the public would not be endangered by his release from custody. The accused submitted that there was no evidence implicating him in the commission of the offences, save for the firearms that were allegedly outside his homestead.

German said the circumstances leading to his arrest were a clear indication that he would be acquitted and discharged when the matter went to trial. The father of seven informed the court that in custody he was kept in isolation. He said he slept on the floor and did everything in the same room. The accused submitted that he had since fallen sick while incarcerated. He said he has had to undergo surgery. The bail application will be argued tomorrow. German is represented by Noncedo Ndlangamandla of Mabila Attorneys.
 



 



 

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