8 GUNMEN TORCH CJ’S HOME, SHOOT 5 CATTLE

NHLANGANO – Eight gunmen are believed to be behind the torching of Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphalala’s home.

The incident happened in the wee hours of yesterday morning. The homestead is situated at Jerusalem before Mbelebeleni. It was narrated by sources working close to the matter that the incident happened after midnight and two people who are looking after the homestead of the CJ were sleeping in one of the houses. It was said that the unknown arsonists were about eight and were all carrying guns. The arsonists went to the house where the duo was sleeping and ordered them to lie down. “They questioned them why they decided to work for someone who was against the liberation of the incarcerated MPs,” alleged the sources.

Windows

The eight men spread themselves within the homestead, others broke windows of the houses, doused them with petrol and set them alight.
Not all the houses were burnt but all the windowpanes were broken by the unknown arsonists.  It was established that four of the houses were burnt and five cattle were also shot dead by the gunmen.  The arsonists are said to have left thereafter in a car they had left at a distance, which was only seen when it left.

When this publication visited the homestead yesterday, there were about 12 government vehicles, some of which came from the headquarters in Mbabane. Among them was Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) Bomb Disposal Unit vehicle which came with sniffer dogs to the scene.
There were also personnel from the Scenes of Crime, who were conducting their investigations and collecting what could be fingerprints to aid in their investigations. Neighbours were also seen seated within the yard, mostly women who came to give the Maphalala family moral support.

There were members of the family, including the CJ’s son, who parked his car at the entrance of the homestead. It is worth noting that the CJ’s homestead was previously guarded by police officers, who were deployed there and would change shifts on a daily basis. It was said that some of the police officers who used to be stationed at CJ’s home to provide security were removed for reasons which cannot be printed because they could not be verified.

The nearest police post to the CJ’s residence is Dumako. Dumako Police Post was recently attacked by about eight gunmen, who killed a tractor driver and shot a police officer deployed under General Duty Department. The police officers and the tractor driver were housed at the government’s Regional Development Agricultural (RDA) facilities based at Dumako. The sources stated that police would only patrol around the homestead instead of being based there like it was the case previously.

Attempts to get comment from the family members who were present at the homestead proved futile as they mentioned that they did not want to entertain the media. In fact, they sent a man to pass on the message that Maphalala did not want the media inside his homestead and that pictures were to be taken but outside the home boundaries.

A questionnaire was sent to the CJ but he had not responded by the time of going to print. It is worth noting that Maphalala also doubles as an Indvuna in one of Inkhosatana Gelane’s chiefdoms. When Inkhosatana Gelane was called for comment, she stated that the incident was very sad and unfortunate. She, however, requested not to comment as she was yet to hear from Maphalala himself. “I was told he is out of the country and I can only be in a position to comment once I have had audience with him,” she said.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed a report of a burnt home at Jerusalem. She stated that they were still investigating and no arrests had been made. When asked why security officers were removed at the CJ’S home, she responded by asking who said they were removed. When asked where they were then when the incident happened, she said she was not in a position to discuss security issues with the media.

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