TIGHT SECURITY AT NTUTHUKO’S COURT APPEARANCE

MANZINI – Police heightened security during the court appearance of former Minister of Public Works and Transport Ntuthuko Dlamini yesterday.

Dlamini made his first court appearance at the Manzini Magistrates Court before Acting Magistrate Thami Ndlovu. 

The former minister stands accused of killing two men and attempting to kill another. He appeared in court after spending two nights in police holding cells following accusations that he pulled the trigger and killed two men of Luyengweni on Monday in an ongoing land dispute saga.

Dlamini’s relatives, friends and former colleagues arrived at the court as early as 8.30am, in anticipation for his arrival. This was after they were left dejected on Tuesday when they were informed by police officers that the former minister would make his court appearance the following day (yesterday), as it transpired that investigations into the case were still ongoing. 

The former minister eventually arrived in a white police van shortly after 9am. 

Dramatic 

His arrival was nothing short of dramatic, as the police van transporting him was accompanied by two police vehicles. Shortly after his arrival, a dozen members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) alighted from the vehicles, armed with guns, batons and shields. They littered the court premises, apparently for security reasons.

Before making his appearance in open court, relatives of Dlamini were seen greeting him through windows of the police van while his friends and former colleagues, including former Mkhiweni Member of Parliament (MP) Machawe Mavuso had a brief chat with him.

Dlamini spent about an hour in the police van, which was under heavy police guard. From time to time, the plain clothes officers were seen controlling the former minister’s relatives and friends who surrounded the police van upon its arrival. While court officials and police officers prepared for Dlamini’s appearance, members of the public who had come to court for the former minister’s case and other matters, crammed the court corridors. 

Support 

However, they could not realise their goal of providing moral support to the ex-minister as the armed police officers, who were deployed along the court corridors and entrance, turned them back when they tried to enter the courtroom. 

Only a selected number of relatives and supporters were allowed into the courtroom. 

Dlamini was then transported to the underground entrance of the courthouse, where accused persons usually enter the court to make their appearances. The underground entrance was heavily guarded as well.

Although Dlamini’s court proceedings were set for Court Three, with court officials occupying the court while awaiting further instructions, the proceedings were hastily moved to Court One. 

As Dlamini entered the courtroom while wearing a pin-striped suit, he appeared calm as he received counsel from his attorney Noncedo Ndlangamandla. He was also seen greeting reporters from various media houses who captured pictures of him in court. 

The former minister was heard cracking jokes, while questioning the reporters if they had taken enough pictures of him.

“Solo aneneli? Haven’t you taken enough pictures of me? When something good happens, you would expect reporters to capture even that moment,” he said each time a photographer tried to taken his picture.

Thereafter, Dlamini appeared concerned about the whereabouts of his wife, as he pleaded with former MP Mavuso to negotiate with police officers to allow her inside the courtroom. 

He was heard saying he did not want his wife to learn of the court proceedings from other people and that he wanted her presence in court.

The police officers allowed a woman and Dlamini’s brother to enter the courtroom, and they sat in the public gallery while waiting to follow the court proceedings. Attempts were made to verify if indeed the woman was Dlamini’s wife but none of those present wanted to confirm this information.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: