DRAMA AS STUDENTS BLOCKED AT HIGH COURT

MBABANE – Tertiary students who had come to give moral support to their peers who had been arrested in connection with vandalising the Fairview Police Post, were yesterday prevented from entering the High Court premises.

The about 40 students, who were singing and chanting political slogans, were blocked from entering the court premises by a contingent of armed officers from His Majesty’s Correctional Services Rapid Response Unit. The students were not only demanding to be allowed into the courtroom but were also shouting on top of their voices that they wanted justice for the late Thabani Nkomonye. Despite the unpalatable words aimed at the officers, the law enforcers restrained themselves and continued to plead with the students to move away from the entrance as they were making noise, disrupting court proceedings and blocking cars entering and leaving the premises.

Refused

The students first refused to heed the officers’ instruction and a commotion almost erupted but again the officers restrained themselves. Court proceedings were disturbed and this was evident as a court orderly came to request the officers from the Correctional Services to remove the students from the entrance as they were making noise. The situation was saved by one of the students, who was inside the court, when he came to inform the others that all the accused persons had been granted bail. Before leaving, the students sang and chanted political songs.

Coincidentally, when all this happened, Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala was standing on the steps to the entrance of his offices and he witnessed as the students sang and toyi-toyed just outside the entrance of the High Court building. Meanwhile, the accused, Khumbuza Nxumalo, Bafanabakhe Sacolo and Siphosethu Mavimbela were each admitted to E50 000 bail by Judge Maxine Langwenya. They were ordered to pay E3 000 cash and provide surety for the balance. It is alleged that the trio unlawfully, wrongfully and intentionally injured or damaged Fairview Police Post and further burnt down the police flag. The value of the items as per the charge sheet is E100 000.  On the same day, it is alleged that the three acting jointly in furtherance of a common purpose, unlawfully, wrongfully and intentionally  held hostage police officers on duty at Fairview Police Post, threw stones, further insulted them and threatened to burn them inside their workstation.

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