KNOCK ON WRONG DOOR ENDS IN FATHER’S DEATH
BUHLENI – The 37-year-old father of three children has lost his life at the hands of a mob.
in a shocking case after he allegedly knocked at the wrong door when he entered a homestead around a place known as Ekurhuleni, a rural area under Hereford, near Buhleni Town.
Sikhumbuzo Mamba, a resident of Mawombe, also near Buhleni, known by many in the area, was brutally assaulted by a group of men in the early hours of Thursday morning, after mistakenly knocking on a door while looking for someone else. According to residents, the tragedy unfolded after Mamba had returned from an evening of drinking alcohol.
While it is unclear how intoxicated he was at the time, it is alleged that Mamba entered a homestead in search of a friend. However, in a cruel twist of fate, he knocked at a door where a woman was staying. The woman, reportedly married to a man from the community, stepped outside after hearing the knock. However, some men who were nearby at the homestead noticed this interaction. This incident is said to have resulted in an altercation between Mamba and some of the men at the homestead. Mamba is said to have told the men that he wanted to speak to someone else at the homestead. What should have been a minor misunderstanding spiraled into a fatal confrontation.
Eyewitnesses
Allegations from eyewitnesses suggest that the men who saw Mamba knocking at the woman’s door became suspicious and demanded to know why he was there. This initial encounter sparked a heated argument, alerting more residents to the situation. A mob began to form in a matter of minutes, and community police officers were reportedly called to intervene.
Instead of intervening and calling the members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), community police officers saw this as an opportunity to punish him. They whipped him.
Despite Mamba’s efforts to leave the homestead and diffuse the situation, he was forcefully taken back by the group of men.
The ensuing assault was brutal and unrelenting. Armed with sticks, the mob began to beat Mamba, striking him all over his body in what onlookers described as a highly coordinated attack. In a chilling detail, witnesses claim the attackers seemed to deliberately minimise external bleeding, suggesting that their goal was to inflict severe internal injuries. The assault reportedly lasted for over an hour, with several residents gathering at the scene to witness the ordeal. Some of the bystanders even participated in the attack, whipping Mamba as he lay helpless. It is alleged that the community police officers, instead of breaking up the mob, were actively involved in the assault. At one point, Mamba appeared to lose consciousness, but the beating continued regardless. Amid the chaos, some community members called the police, but the response was delayed.
Hearing
After hearing about the incident, Mamba’s brother reported it to law enforcement, leading to the arrival of officers at the scene. By the time the police arrived, however, it was too late.
Mamba had succumbed to the injuries inflicted during the prolonged assault. A brother to the deceased confirmed the death but could not continue as he was overcome with emotion.
The Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, confirmed the incident. She also confirmed that four people had been arrested during the incident. Meanwhile in the past, Vilakati has warned that members of the public should not take the law into their own hands but to report all cases to the police.
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