Times Of Swaziland: 8 GUNMEN TORCH CJ’S HOME, SHOOT 5 CATTLE

8 GUNMEN TORCH CJ’S HOME, SHOOT 5 CATTLE
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Melisa Msweli on 23/11/2022 07:24:00


NHLANGANO – Eight gunmen are believed to be behind the torching of Chief
Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphalala’s home.
The incident happened in the wee hours of yesterday morning. The homestead is
situated at Jerusalem before Mbelebeleni. It was narrated by sources working
close to the matter that the incident happened after midnight and two people who
are looking after the homestead of the CJ were sleeping in one of the houses. It
was said that the unknown arsonists were about eight and were all carrying guns.
The arsonists went to the house where the duo was sleeping and ordered them to
lie down. “They questioned them why they decided to work for someone who was
against the liberation of the incarcerated MPs,” alleged the sources.
Windows
The eight men spread themselves within the homestead, others broke windows of
the houses, doused them with petrol and set them alight.
Not all the houses were burnt but all the windowpanes were broken by the unknown
arsonists.  It was established that four of the houses were burnt and five
cattle were also shot dead by the gunmen.  The arsonists are said to have left
thereafter in a car they had left at a distance, which was only seen when it
left.
When this publication visited the homestead yesterday, there were about 12
government vehicles, some of which came from the headquarters in Mbabane. Among
them was Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) Bomb Disposal Unit vehicle
which came with sniffer dogs to the scene.
There were also personnel from the Scenes of Crime, who were conducting their
investigations and collecting what could be fingerprints to aid in their
investigations. Neighbours were also seen seated within the yard, mostly women
who came to give the Maphalala family moral support.
There were members of the family, including the CJ’s son, who parked his car
at the entrance of the homestead. It is worth noting that the CJ’s homestead
was previously guarded by police officers, who were deployed there and would
change shifts on a daily basis. It was said that some of the police officers who
used to be stationed at CJ’s home to provide security were removed for reasons
which cannot be printed because they could not be verified.
The nearest police post to the CJ’s residence is Dumako. Dumako Police Post
was recently attacked by about eight gunmen, who killed a tractor driver and
shot a police officer deployed under General Duty Department. The police
officers and the tractor driver were housed at the government’s Regional
Development Agricultural (RDA) facilities based at Dumako. The sources stated
that police would only patrol around the homestead instead of being based there
like it was the case previously.
Attempts to get comment from the family members who were present at the
homestead proved futile as they mentioned that they did not want to entertain
the media. In fact, they sent a man to pass on the message that Maphalala did
not want the media inside his homestead and that pictures were to be taken but
outside the home boundaries.
A questionnaire was sent to the CJ but he had not responded by the time of going
to print. It is worth noting that Maphalala also doubles as an Indvuna in one of
Inkhosatana Gelane’s chiefdoms. When Inkhosatana Gelane was called for
comment, she stated that the incident was very sad and unfortunate. She,
however, requested not to comment as she was yet to hear from Maphalala himself.
“I was told he is out of the country and I can only be in a position to
comment once I have had audience with him,” she said.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile
Vilakati confirmed a report of a burnt home at Jerusalem. She stated that they
were still investigating and no arrests had been made. When asked why security
officers were removed at the CJ’S home, she responded by asking who said they
were removed. When asked where they were then when the incident happened, she
said she was not in a position to discuss security issues with the media.