Times Of Swaziland: SUSPECT: I WAS TAKEN  TO MOUNTAIN, ASSAULTED

SUSPECT: I WAS TAKEN  TO MOUNTAIN, ASSAULTED
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BY SIBUSISO SHANGE on 09/05/2017 04:23:00


MBABANE – Qing Ming He, the Chinese national who is being accused of
kidnapping Matsapha businessman Almor Oliveira, alleged that he was taken to a
mountain and assaulted by police officers.
Qing, who is accused of kidnapping Oliveira together with his Vietnamese
girlfriend, shouted:  “You are lying” after Detective Clement Sihlongonyane
had emphasised that he bit both his thumbs to alter his fingerprints, which were
essential in the unlocking of his girlfriend’s cellphone, which is suspected
to have been used in the commission of the offence.
Advocate Mduduzi Mabila, who is representing Qing in the matter, informed the
court that his client never bit his fingers but was injured at the mountain
where he was handcuffed and assaulted by police officers with a firearm pointed
at him.
“He was facing uphill during the heat of the assault,” said Mabila.
In response, Sihlongonyane told Mabila that there were no mountains at the
police station and they would never on any day be at the police station.
Injuries
Asked if he could tell the court if the injuries he claimed Qing sustained
through biting his fingers were still visible, Sihlongonyane responded that he
was not an expert but pictures were taken.
This resulted in Mbabane Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi, who is presiding
over the matter, calling upon Qing in order to ascertain the state of his
fingers.
“Bring him here with the police officer please so that the court may see the
fingers,” Nhlabatsi said.
The suspect, on the other hand, denied having attempted to escape from Matsapha
Police Station as alleged.