Times Of Swaziland: OVER 30 COPS RAID MBIKWAKHE FLATS FOR WEAPONS

OVER 30 COPS RAID MBIKWAKHE FLATS FOR WEAPONS
================================================================================
Phiwase Phungwayo on 29/06/2022 09:03:00


MATSAPHA - Over 30 members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) arrived
at Mbikwakhe yesterday in search of weapons supposedly hidden in a flat of one
of the suspects who were arrested for malicious injury to property.
Following the arrest of the two suspects; Thandokuhle Galimese Dlamini and
Simanga Sigwili Vilakati, who were charged for malicious injury to property, the
police visited one of the suspects’ rented flat at Mbikwakhe, where they
reportedly knocked on people’s houses in search of weapons. This happened at
around lunchtime yesterday. According to a source who witnessed the arrival of
the police service vehicles, there were over 30 law enforcers, who arrived in
five vehicles. The vehicles included a truck, Toyota Quantums and police vans,
according to the source.
Raiding
“The truck headed to a nearby shop while the other vehicles sped off and
headed to the flats. Police officers were seen raiding houses in search of
weapons,” the source relayed. The source narrated that the police demanded to
enter into the tenants’ houses and searched for ‘guns.’ She further
mentioned that it could not be ascertained whether the REPS officers found any
weapons or not. However, the source mentioned that it did not take much long
before the police officers were seen returning to their vehicles and leaving the
area. When drawn for comment on the raid, Chief Police Information and
Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said; “No comment.”
She further highlighted that she did not discuss or unpack police operations.
Suspects
Worth noting is that the two suspects are currently in police custody after the
Crown applied that they would assist the police in a litany of offences of
arson, which included three Inyatsi Construction sites that were affected. It
was also said that the police needed them to assist in the arson attack at
Madlangempisi Member of Parliament (MP) Sibusiso ‘Scorpion’ Nxumalo’s
homestead and Matsapha Police Camp, which were all reportedly under
investigation. According to the Crown, the modus operandi of the charge, which
the accused were facing was the same that was used in the attacks. The suspects
are currently facing a malicious injury to property charge. They are represented
by Lawyer Mathokoza Mbhamali.
Meanwhile, Mbhamali said he was yet to meet his clients to work on the charge
that they were facing. The lawyer said they would not apply for bail as yet, for
reasons that, it may most likely be denied. He said his clients’ houses were
raided by police in search of weapons. Mbhamali said no weapons were found.