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MASHUMI SHONGWE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH WIFE’S MURDER

25/03/2023 09:29:00 Joseph Zulu

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MBABANE – After a three-month investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of his wife, popular football administrator Mashumi Shongwe has been arrested.

Mashumi, who is also a unionist, was arrested by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) yesterday afternoon after the investigators obtained a warrant of arrest at the Manzini Magistrates Court. Mashumi is the founder of the Federation of Swaziland Trade Union (FESWATU) and chairperson of Nhlangano Town Council. According to the warrant of arrest, Shongwe became a person of interest to the police after intense investigations pointed to him as the person who could assist them with information leading to the demise of his wife, Tigezile Shongwe, nee Magongo, who was murdered in cold blood in December 2022. Tigezile died after unknown people fired several shots at her while she was opening the gate to her place of abode. Mashumi’s arrest comes after police obtained a warrant of his arrest wherein it is narrated why he was being sought.

Warrant

The warrant of arrest was initially to be applied for at the Mbabane Magistrates Court, but the judicial officer before whom it was to be moved recused herself for personal reasons. This resulted in the investigators approaching the Manzini Magistrates Court where it was granted. Mashumi was arrested yesterday afternoon while at his residence in Nhlangano. His arrest was confirmed by Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni.

Inspector Mnguni said Mashumi was arrested in connection with the murder of his wife and was due to appear before the court anytime soon.
Even though he has been arrested, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. Meanwhile, in an article that was published on December 3, 2022, Mashumi, upon being contacted by our sister publication, said he suspected that his enemies killed his wife.
At the time of her death, his wife was a police officer who held the rank of sergeant, based in Nhlangano. Mashumi himself is a former police officer.

Death

When he was called about the death of his wife on the day of the interview with the Times of Eswatini, he indicated that he was saddened by her death. His wife was shot dead on December 1, 2022. At the time, it was reported that Tigezile was shot seven times. During the interview with the Times of Eswatini on December 2, 2022, Mashumi said he was assisting the police with the investigation into the circumstance that led to the killing of his wife. It was reported that the couple had not been living together since 2016, though the founder of FESWATU admitted that he still regarded Tigezile as his wife.

Detested

In the interview, a day after the demise of his wife, Shongwe said: “There is absolutely no reason for me to end the life of the mother of my children even if we could have differences in marital opinion.” The former police officer instead said he was aware that he was hated for subscribing to political ideologies that were detested by some political activists. He said he was reminded of the fact that he was hated for having a firm hand in the establishment of the Swaziland Economic Improvement Workers Union (SEIWU). Some social media comments, after his wife was gunned down, blamed Mashumi while others ridiculed him. When he was asked about this, he said he had taken note of the social media comments and the ridicule his wife was subjected to.

Vindicate

He stated that some people on social media, particularly Facebook, used unpalatable words against him and called him all sorts of names, but he said he trusted that God would one day vindicate him. The soccer administrator and businessman also denied allegations that he had intended to sell his house to Asian nationals and that his wife stood in the way of that sale. He said he did not understand why some people belittled him at a time when he had lost his wife. “I have no reason to kill my wife and I also have no reason to fight over the house as it is owned by me and my late wife,” he stated.