SOLDIER SHOT OUTSIDE LUDZIDZINI

LUDZIDZINI – A soldier deployed at Ludzidzini Royal Residence main entrance survived a bullet wound after unknown men opened fire in the early hours of yesterday.

Information gathered from sources close to the matter was that three men, who were in the company of a woman, arrived in an identified motor vehicle from Mashibhini direction. It is said the motor vehicle drove slowly as it approached the intersection road at the main entrance. The sources shared that the motor vehicle stopped just before reaching the intersection and dropped off four people, three men and the woman.
The motor vehicle drove slowly towards the exit point next to the filling station and then took the Mahlanya direction, before joining the junction leading to Sitjeni. The sources claimed that the men and the woman boarded the motor vehicle just after it had left the intersection and it drove slowly towards the exit point opposite the filling station.

Unsuspecting

“At that point two other men had walked towards Sitjeni using the road next to the stadium fencing. The unsuspecting soldier was monitoring the motor vehicle, little did he know that the duo was aiming at him from a distance,” said the source.The source stated that a gunshot was heard and a bullet hit part of the wall of the guard house, resulting in the bullet ricocheting to the soldier’s shoulder. Worth noting was that the guard house is obstructed by big trees. It was observed that the soldier was standing about 30 centimetres from where the bullet left a mark. It was also alleged that the stadium lights were tampered with before the shooting.It is said that the duo was nowhere to be seen after the shooting. Senior security officers arrived promptly and took the injured soldier to Phocweni Hospital, where he was treated and discharged. Bloodstains were still visible on the pavement next to the guard house.

Fled

Soldiers found at the scene declined to comment. However, it was gathered that sniffer dogs led the police to a public road, where the unknown people are suspected to have joined their colleagues and fled the scene. Some people were found trimming the big trees obstructing the guard house. The shooting of the soldier happened at a time when the country has lost 10 members of the country’s security forces. Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force  Public Relations Officer 2nd Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, said issues touching on royal residences were outside their jurisdiction. Khumalo advised that acting Ludzidzini governor or the King’s Office were in a better position to comment. However, when sought for a comment, King’s Office  Director Communications Percy Simelane said crime was handled by the police. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said her office had no report of that nature when called at 3:30pm.

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