POLICE CALLED ON WARDER CARRYING GUN, DRINKING IN BAR

MBABANE - Patrons of a popular bar in Mbabane reportedly thought they were in the company of a member of the underground forces.

This was when an armed warder in civilian clothing walked in and started imbibing alcohol with his gun visible. The Correctional Services officer had been deployed at the Central Transport Administration (CTA) Depot in Mbabane to man security. Security at the CTA had on numerous times been reported to be lax and thugs were helping themselves to car parts and other material. As a result, members of Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF), officers from Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) have been providing security at the government garage, which was previously watched over by security guards who were armed with knobkerries.

Workstation

On Thursday evening, the Correctional officer is said to have left his workstation and proceeded to the bar opposite the bus rank. He was armed with a Galil firearm. A Galil is a family of Israeli-made automatic rifles. This type of firearm is among those that were reportedly found in possession of some of the people who were arrested and charged with offences stemming from the incidents of violence perpetrated during the political unrest, which saw the murder of State security officers. The arrival of the warder, who was not dressed in uniform, according to sources, confused and surprised many in the bar, since he was armed.

The name of the warder, who is based at Sidwashini Correctional facility, is known to this publication, but will not be mentioned for now pending further investigations by his superiors.
“Some of us thought he was a member of the solidarity forces, while others supposed he wanted to stage a robbery since the bar is situated in the same building that houses Smiles Supermarket, where  recently a  robbery was staged by  four men who shot dead a taximan and made away with coins amounting  between  E6 000 and E7 000. We thought he was en route to an operation or he was from killing someone. The mood in the bar changed. We feared for our safety. He was drinking alone and kept to himself. Some of us walked out,” said the source.

According to the source, some of the patrons called the police because they did not understand what was going on or what his mission was. The source told this publication that the police, together with members of the Serious Crimes Unit (Lukhozi), arrived at the bar almost immediately and took the warder to the police station.   “It was at the police station that one of the police officer identified him (warder) and the matter was reported to his superiors,” said the insider.

Confirmed

HMCS Public Relations Officer (PRO) Senior Superintendent Gugulethu Dlamini confirmed that the matter was reported to them.  She said it was currently under investigation and proper disciplinary measures would be taken against the officer. The PRO said the COMGEN of HMCS frowned upon such conduct, hence her office would ensure that disciplinary measures were taken against the officer.  Senior Superintendent Dlamini further highlighted that such conduct was against their code of conduct and/or ethics. Meanwhile, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said there was no record of the incident, but stated that it might happen that it was still under investigation.

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