Cop tells court how he shot two hitchhikers

MBABANE- The police officer, who shot two passengers in the vehicle that failed to heed police instructions at Motshane, blames the shooting on tinted windows.

Constable Sam Ndlangamandla appeared at the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court to testify against the driver of the vehicle Mandla Vilakati who is facing nine counts.

Constable Ndlangamandla told Magistrate Xolisa Hlatshwayo that due to the heavily tinted windows they could not see the number of occupants in the vehicle.

The police officer also told the court that three warning shots were fired and two were later aimed at the wheels of the vehicle.
“One of the bullets hit the front wheel whilst the other one struck the windshield,” he said.
In his testimony under oath Ndlangamandla  said  after they shot the tyre the motor vehicle could not move as fast as it had been moving and consequently the driver alighted and ran away.

He also disclosed that with the assistance of his colleagues they tried to arrest the driver but he fought them.
Ndlangamandla said another officer came and they managed to arrest the accused and took him back to the motor vehicle.

“We later discovered that he had passengers and they had been shot in our attempt to stop the vehicle. They were taken to Mbabane Government hospital where they later died,” he said.
The two who were members of the Swedish Free Church died while undergoing treatment at the Mbabane Government Hospital and it was discovered that they both had bullet wounds on the head.

‘...driver wanted to run over me’

MBABANE – Constable Sam Ndlangamandla says the driver of the vehicle wanted to smash him with the car.

He was giving testimony at the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court where the accused Mandla Vilakati had gone to move a bail application.

The police officer said he was on duty on January 16, and they were manning a roadblock at Motshane and were on the lookout for a maroon Cressida which was driven by the accused.

“I stood in the middle of the road and signalled for the motor vehicle to stop, instead it came straight towards me such that I jumped onto the pavement and thereafter a car chase ensued,” he said.

Constable Ndlangamadla also told the court that two motor vehicles managed to sandwich the Cressida, but the driver would swerve and drive in zig- zags and sometimes within inches of hitting the police vehicle.

Vilakati’s bail has since been declined by Mbabane Magistrate Xolisa Hlatshwayo and he is expected to appear before the same court on February 16 for trial.

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