COPS SUFFOCATED, HARASSED ME - ‘ZWEMART’S WIFE

MBABANE – The wife of fugitive, Zweli Martin Dlamini, has come out to claim that she has been interrogated, suffocated and harassed by the police in front of her two children.

Nompendulo Nokuthula Mkhonta has since filed an urgent application at the Mbabane Magistrates Court where she is seeking an order interdicting the police or anyone acting of their behest from allegedly physically assaulting, harassing and insulting her.
Respondents in the matter are; the national commissioner of police, deputy prime minister, Commission of Human Rights and Public Administration and the attorney general.

search

In her application, Mkhonta narrated that on April 10, 2020 at around 3pm while she was at her home at KaLaMgabhi Etiyeni, a group of about eight police officers, largely male, came to her homestead and conducted a search.

According to the applicant (Mkhonta), the law enforcers were armed to the teeth and were travelling in two motor vehicles.  She recounted that when the police arrived at her place of abode, they were not in possession of a search warrant.

“They largely searched the bedroom and took to their possession some material belonging to my husband Zweli Martin Dlamini. I was born at KaLaMgabhi and my family has been living there for six decades,” submitted Mkhonta.

She alleged that the security personnel ordered her to go with them and she was effectively arrested.   Mkhonta said when she was arrested; she left behind her two children aged four and seven on their own.

“The police were hostile and they called me with unpalatable words which I cannot repeat due to respect of the decorum of the court,” averred the applicant.
Mkhonta further claimed that she was taken to the Royal Eswatini Police Service Headquarters where she was interrogated by a contingent of police officers who wanted to know the whereabouts of her husband.

  She informed the court that the police officers were led by officers identified as Mthembu and Shiba.
“I wish to state that when I informed them that I do not know the whereabouts of my husband, they then assaulted me with open hands on my face and continued to call me with unpalatable words,” averred the wife.

handcuffed

She further asserted that the law enforcers then handcuffed her and Mthembu ordered the other police officers to get ‘tools’ to deal with her.  Mkhonta alleged that the police officers then proceeded to suffocate her with a plastic bag while in handcuffs.

“I pleaded with them- informing them that I was not a journalist and that I should not be punished for what they were looking my husband for but they continued (sic).  I was later released after 6pm without being charged,” alleged the applicant.

Mkhonta submitted that the police allegedly threatened to come back for more ‘questions’ soon. She said she took the veiled threat seriously based on the suffering she was occasioned at the hands of the police.

She contended that the court had jurisdiction over the matter by virtue of the fact that the cause of action mainly arose within its jurisdiction and due to the fact that all the respondents were located within its command.
The wife is represented by renowned Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko.

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