ROBBERY SUSPECT SHOT BY COPS AT MSUNDUZA

MBABANE - A man who allegedly robbed another of his belongings was shot by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) on Thursday morning.

The suspect, it is alleged, was together with his partner in crime when they pounced on the man and robbed him of his cellphone, money and car keys at around Msunduza. The incident occurred just after 9am and according to eyewitnesses and community members, the suspect is known in the area and goes by the name ‘Chillies’ while others use the vernacular term ‘Pelepele’.

It was reported that having witnessed the alleged robbery, community members raised an alarm and were joined by community police who sought assistance from the REPS.  Police officers are said to have arrived on time and started searching for the two men.

Suspect

One is said to have been able to disappear while the shot suspect loitered around until the police officers pounced on him, Eye witnesses narrated that for some minutes, the man tried to be elusive but the police officers were determined to catch him as they continued with the chase together with a group of community members. It was when they had come closer to the Msunduza Market, that the suspect started showing signs of wanting to take them on.

He is alleged to have shouted that any officer who wanted to shoot him should do so. “He pointed at his own forehead and told the police officers that they should shoot him. The police tried to apprehend him but he shocked them by producing a bushknife and threatened to deal with them,” said one of the eye witnesses. It was then that he was shot on the left side of the stomach.

After being shot, he is said to have dragged himself and tried to hide under a vehicle at a garage situated next to the market. The police eventually arrested him and by this time, he was bleeding while sprawled on the ground next to the car where he had tried to hide. When this publication arrived on the scene, over 50 community members had gathered to see what was happening while others who had been part of the earlier search wanted to see if he had survived the shooting or not. Some were heard saying the police had done a good job by arriving on time to assist in apprehending the suspect.

Reports

“We are tired of people who rob us of our hard earned money. Almost every day we hear reports of community members who have been robbed. Today’s case is even more crazy because it happened early in the morning,” one of the community members said. Police officers were found recording statements from eye witnesses. Also, the man who was robbed was seen with the officers recording a statement.

Paramedics also arrived and took the suspect to hospital. Confirming the incident was Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni. Mnguni confirmed that the suspect became violent when police officers tried to apprehend him which was why he ended up being shot. The suspect is yet to appear at the Mgistrates Court while his partner in crime is still at large.

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