PM’S BODYGUARD SHOOTS, KILLS COP WIFE, HIMSELF

MBABANE - A police officer, who is a member of Prime Minister (PM) Russell Dlamini’s security detail, has killed himself and his wife.

The wife was also a police officer, attached to the royal guard, while the husband was a driver in the security detail of the PM. The incident happened yesterday afternoon at Mpolonjeni in Mbabane. The names of the couple are known to this publication, but cannot be revealed, as their next of kin are yet to be formally notified of their demise. The husband is said to have used a service firearm to end the life of his wife before turning it to himself.  Information gathered is that the couple had domestic challenges, which had been ongoing for a period of time. The couple is said to have had an argument over a cellphone yesterday.

Challenges

The sources alleged that the marital challenges had seen the pair being regulars at the Mbabane Police Station. As such, leading to the murder and suicide, the husband is said to have driven to the Mbabane Police Station, where his wife had gone to lodge a complaint against him. While at the police station, it was purported that the husband arrived and engaged his wife. The sources alleged that after engaging the wife, the husband reported that they were driving to their residential home, where they were to interrogate their issues. However, upon arrival at their homestead, the couple is said to have had a fight, which resulted in the husband shooting his wife.

Thereafter, he was said to have telephonically informed some police officers at the Mbabane Police Station, that they would find them at their place of abode. The sources supposed that it was after this communication that the husband ended his life. According to some relatives and mourners who arrived at the deceased couple’s homestead last night, their children did not reside with them, because they worked odd hours and at instances travelled. They claimed that when the murder and the suicide were committed, it was only the two of them (deceased).
According to sources, colleagues of the couple arrived at the homestead after the shooting. It was gathered that the law enforcers started trickling at the homestead just before sunset and when this publication arrived at the homestead at around 7pm, they had already transported the bodies of the deceased couple to the mortuary.

Demise

On the other hand, the demise of the pair happened at a time when there was a peace-binding process that was ongoing at the Mbabane Magistrates Court. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni, confirmed that a police officer killed his wife and himself. She said they were still investigating the matter. This is against the backdrop of the the police reporting that about 110 suicide cases were reported from January until August, this year. The statistics released by the police showed an increase in the number of people taking their own lives, compared to the same period in 2023. During the same period in 2023, there were 97 recorded suicide cases, which was an increase of 13.4 per cent.

Suicide

The police indicated that a majority of those who committed suicide in the past eight months were men. It was said men commit suicide because of infidelity, child maintenance, debt, fear of arrest after committing certain offences and lacking some things. People aged 25 years and above were said to be the ones who take their own lives. The police said a quick intervention is needed to prevent incidents of suicide. They said out of the 110 reported suicide cases, 85 were males and 25 were women. The report stated that the reasons for people to commit suicide varied. It was said infidelity was one of the contributing factors among men. The police said usually, when one suspects their partner of infidelity and kills them, the killer may commit suicide.

“Conflict arising from child maintenance can lead to both parents not being in agreement. As a result of prolonged fighting, the couples end up killing each other; if that is not the case, they commit suicide,” the police said. Furthermore, a lack of certain things was listed as another contributing factor of suicide. Also, debts were said to be also another factor.  “Apart from the above-mentioned reasons resulting in suicide, there are those who kill themselves in fear of getting arrested once they commit certain offences. Some do not state the reasons behind taking their own lives.” The police further pleaded with the public to seek help when faced with various issues rather than resorting to suicide.

Encouraged

Meanwhile, Mfundo Dlamini,  Gentleman’s Talk Founder, an organisation dealing with men’s issues, encouraged men to always come forward and seek help anytime they are faced with pressing issues.  He said some family members or society do not allow or give men the opportunity to voice out their issues. Dlamini said the highest expectations faced by men from both their families and society force them to take their own lives if they fail to meet them. According to the Gentleman’s Talk founder, some men are called with degrading names anytime they fail to deliver as expected.

“Some men are asked by those close to them what kind of men they are if they fail to provide for their families. Such treatment makes men not have anyone to talk to. If the man continues to keep the issues to himself, the mind then fails to cope, resulting in that individual taking his own life,” said Dlamini. The Gentleman’s Talk founder said men would not be committing suicide at an alarming rate had platforms been availed for them to voice out their challenges.

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