KILLED COP REQUESTED PRAYER BEFORE SHOOTING

MBABANE – The police officer killed on Saturday morning reportedly requested colleagues to pray for him not to come across solidarity forces minutes before being killed.

Solidarity forces are said to be a group of unknown individuals, who, according to some online publications, have taken ownership of the spate of killings of police officers and arson attacks. However, there has not been any arrest related to the shooting of the security forces. Meanwhile, in jest, the slain police officer who has been identified as Bonginkosi Dlamini (46), is said to have informed his colleagues whom he was travelling with that they should tell the solidarity forces not to approach him as he would retaliate.

Advised

This was after some officers supposedly advised him not to walk to his house as he was still in his uniform. It was said that he decided to walk to Matsapha Police Academy, where he was stationed, because it was sunrise and there was human traffic as people were walking to their various destinations. Dlamini was shot dead at Mathangeni, which is along the Ndlunganye - Police College Public Road. The information about his demise came after this publication sought to establish events leading to the police officer’s demise. According to a family member, Dlamini had forgotten his mobile phone charging at the guard point where he was working at on Friday night/ Saturday morning. Following this, Dlamini is said to have requested officers who were travelling in a bus from His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS), which was yet to depart from his duty station, to bring with them his phone.

Disembarked

In order to get his cellular phone, he is said to have alighted at Ngabezweni Bus Stop to wait for the officers who were bringing his phone with them. He was said to have disembarked from a Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) bus. The slain police officer reportedly boarded the bus from HMCS which left him at Ndlunganye Bus Stop, which is about two kilometers from his destination. It was said while walking toward the academy, a white Nissan NP 200 bakkie, with a South African registration off-loaded the gunman. It was said the bakkie drove past him while his assailant crossed the road and walked behind him.When at close range, the gunman reportedly pulled the police officer’s jacket. The deceased is said to have not paid attention to the provocation; however, the assailant is said to have aimed at the base of the head (where the head links with the neck). The fatal shot by the gunman is said to have resulted in the bullet exiting the deceased just beneath the eye.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that while the police officer’s killer walked away from the scene of the crime, the vehicle he had alighted from returned and made a stop, whereupon its driver approached the body of the police officer which was lying in a pool of blood. Impeccable sources claimed that he was confirming if the officer had ceased breathing. As reported by our sister publication – Times SUNDAY – gunshots had pierced through the still of the night at Mathangeni on Friday, as they reverberated in two instances. The first instance was when a member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) was targeted by an unknown gunman.

Gunman

It has been gathered by this publication that the soldier was shot while inside the vehicle he was driving. Impeccable sources claimed that the soldier saw the gunman pull out the weapon beneath his jacket. The soldier was said to have failed to flee from the scene as his vehicle was in close proximity to the one ahead of him. He is said to have been treated and discharged at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital and later returned to the scene of the shooting in the company of police officers. Upon arrival at the scene, it was said police officers had to fire several gunshots to disperse a group of people who were still gathered there.

Police are yet to make an arrest following the two shootings at Mathangeni. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said they were still investigating cases of murder and attempted murder. She was over the weekend captured appealing that any information that would assist the investigations into the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting of the officer and the attempted murder of the army personnel would be welcome.

She said any information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect(s) should be forwarded to Manzini Regional Crime Branch Officer (RCBO) Thabo Hlophe at 7606 8570 or Matsapha Desk Officer, Inspector Langa at 7668 6833. It is worth noting that Mathangeni has had a number of shootings targeting law enforcement agents. Sibusiso Matsebula was killed about 500 metres from his duty station - Matsapha Police Station - by daring gunman at Sigodvweni, which is along the Ndlunganye - Police College Public Road. This was after a female officer, Zinhle Mavuso from the northern Hhohho Region, was shot dead while her colleague was shot in the chest. This incident happened in the wee hours of Saturday in the outskirts of the Manzini Central Business District (CBD).

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