ARMED SOLDIERS ACCUSED OF TAKING CAR FROM OWING MAN

MBABANE – Armed soldiers at Nkoyoyo Royal Residence are reported to have forcefully taken a car from a man who allegedly owed their colleague.

The man was purportedly lured to Nkoyoyo Royal Residence by the soldier he reportedly owed under the pretence that they would discuss how he would pay back the money.

This was allegedly never to be because instead of having the discussions, the soldier is said to have mobilised his colleagues who were armed to the teeth and they told the man that he would not get the car until he settled the debt.

The alleged owner of the motor vehicle, Elliot Maseko of KaNcesi, has since taken the soldier, Wiseman Lukhele and Rueben Dlamini (from whom vehicle was taken) to the High Court. Through his attorney Linda Dlamini, Maseko yesterday moved an urgent application seeking the release of the car. He wants the court to direct the soldier (Lukhele) or anyone who might be in possession of the vehicle, a Range Rover, to forthwith deliver it to him.

Seize 

The applicant (Maseko) is further praying for an order authorising a deputy sheriff to forthwith seize and take the motor vehicle and cause same to be delivered to him. Giving a background of the matter, Maseko narrated that on November 2020, he gave the second respondent (Rueben) his motor vehicle, who had promised to buy it for a test drive. According to the applicant, Rueben, having indicated that he was interested in buying the car, took it for a test drive and he requested that he would require at least a month driving it and would revert to him so that they could finalise the sale agreement.  He recounted that towards the end of December 2020, a month for the test driver, as requested by Rueben, lapsed and he contacted him to enquire as to when he was returning the motor vehicle. Rueben, according to Maseko, told him that they would meet in the first week of January. Maseko alleged that he advised Rueben that he was note amenable to his proposal, given that the motor vehicle was exposed to wear and tear due to its continued use, and it would be difficult for him to find another buyer thereafter.

Persisted 

The applicant recalled that he alleggely persisted to contact Rueben as he was not comfortable with the motor vehicle being with him for an extended period beyond the one month as agreed. Maseko averred that on January 2, 2021, he contacted Rueben, who advised him that the motor vehicle had been taken by the soldier (Lukhele) as a result of monies they owed each other.

These are allegations contained in an affidavit whose veracity is still to be tested in court and the respondents are yet to file their papers in the event they are disputing the allegations against them. “I must indicate that whatever fallout and/or misunderstanding Rueben and Lukhele might have has nothing to do with my motor vehicle,” contended Maseko.

He submitted that upon further enquiry from Rueben as to how it came about that the motor vehicle was taken from him, he allegedly advised him that  he was called by Lukhele to meet at Nkoyoyo Royal Residence .  

Maseko submitted that Rueben went  on to tell him that on arrival at the Nkoyoyo Royal Residence,  armed members of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force, who had been allegedly mobilised by Lukhele, pounced on him and informed him that he was not going anywhere with the car unless and until he paid their colleague. The matter is still pending in court and is expected to be heard by Judge Titus Mlangeni today.

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