Times Of Swaziland: ROBBERY VICTIM DIES  IN POLICE CAR CRASH

ROBBERY VICTIM DIES  IN POLICE CAR CRASH
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BY LINDA JELE on 03/03/2014 05:10:00


NGCULWINI – A man who had been injured during a robbery has been killed after
the police car he was being rushed to hospital on collided with another
yesterday.
A police officer and two others were severely injured in the crash.
The new Isuzu bakkie from the Mafutseni Police Station was extensively damaged
when it crashed head-on with a GWM bakkie along the Hhelehhele-Siphofaneni road
near Joy Mission.
A Toyota Rav4 Sport Utility Vehicle was also involved in the accident and it
overturned.
Sonnyboy Joel Mamba (28) was being ferried to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial
Hospital for treatment for injuries he sustained when he was assaulted by a mob
on Saturday night.
Belongings
It has been alleged that the men wanted to rob him of his belongings at
Ntabamhloshana.
A family member, who cannot be identified because she is a scholar, said Mamba
arrived home on Sunday morning and reported that he had been assaulted by some
men who attempted to rob him. She said Mamba said he managed to hide his
belongings and was going to fetch them.
“He returned and went to his house. A while later he returned and said he was
going to meet the police he had called to take him to hospital as he was not
feeling well.
“That was the last time I saw him as I then went to church,” she said.
His brother Michael said the deceased passed on while they were still trying to
come to terms with the loss of their mother who was killed in a road accident
last year.
Another family member claimed that the deceased had told her that he had been
attacked by a group of eight men who also visited the homestead looking for him.
She also claimed that Sonnyboy told him that he had been stabbed in the back and
hand during the alleged robbery.
A source close to the police said Mafutseni police yesterday responded to
Sonnyboy’s call and went to meet him at Ntabamhloshana shopping complex.
Injuries
It was reported that the police decided that Mamba should be sent to the RFM
Hospital for the examination of the extent of the injuries and treatment.
Hardly four kilometres from his home area, the police vehicle was involved in a
head-on collision with a GWM bakkie and he died on the spot.
According to a witness, the GWM bakkie was travelling towards Siphofaneni and
its driver overtook four vehicles on a blind rise near Joy Mission.
However, it was said, the police vehicle approached on the oncoming lane towards
Manzini and the vehicles crashed head-on.
“The driver tried to move back to his lane, but collided with a RAV4 and was
involved in a head on collision with the police vehicle,” a police officer who
witnessed the accident, but did not want to be named said.
It was said the deceased was the only passenger at the back of the vehicle and
the officer was driving the motor vehicle. All three vehicles were extensively
damaged and the RAV4 overturned after the impact.
Mafutseni Police Station Commander Msibi was among the first to arrive at the
scene of the accident, together with senior police officers from his police
station and Lubombo region.
According to the one of the residents at Ntabamhloshana, Mamba had been drinking
on Saturday and he was assaulted by a group of men.
He was assaulted heavily and sustained injuries on the body and head, the
resident said.
The police on arrival recorded statements from Mamba before taking him into the
vehicle for transportation to hospital for treatment.
Ferried
One of the police officers identified as Mamba, remained behind when his
colleague ferried Sonnyboy to hospital.
The officer recorded statements and asked for details of the suspects who had
allegedly assaulted Sonnyboy.
At the crime scene, the police officer said he was lucky he had to remain
behind, even though it was unfortunate that his colleague and Sonnyboy were
involved in an accident.
Superintendent Wendy Hleta, the Police Public Relations Officer confirmed the
accident. She said the deceased hit hard on the body of the motor vehicle on
impact and died.
“He must have been seated at the back end of the bakkie and when the vehicles
crashed, he hit hard and died,” Hleta said.