‘28 GANG MEMBER WANTED TO KILL ME, DRINK BLOOD’

MBABANE – “I won’t stop looking for him until I drink his blood.”

These words were supposedly uttered by Wandile Matsebula (31), a Library Assistant, who is also alleged to be member of the notorious ‘28 gang’. He is said to have directed them to Sebenele Malinga (37), a Fidelity Security Supervisor. Malinga narrated in court how he was hacked by Matsebula. The matter was at the Mbabane National Court before Court President Two Minutes Shongwe. Matsebula appeared in court after he was arrested and charged for attempting to hack Malinga.

Complainant

According to the complainant, Matsebula wanted to kill him because he once tried to apprehend him after allegedly stealing a T-shirt at Mr Price, worth E200. He said, since then, the accused person had made his life miserable. He alleged before court that he was once attacked by the accused person from his rented flat. “Sengaba yinyamatane yaMatsebula mine (Im Matsebula’s prey now). He told one of my colleagues that the ‘28 gang’ had sworn that they won’t give him rest unless he made sure that I was dead. I have decided to relocate from where I was residing for my safety,” alleged Malinga.

The complainant then alleged that due to the accused person’s failure to kill him, some of his gang members had stabbed him (accused) in his thighs as punishment. “He once attacked me in my house at around 11pm. Watsi kumele ingati yami agcine ayikhotsile noma ayinatsile (he said eventually, he must lick or drink my blood),” lamented Malinga. On the day of the incident, Malinga told the court that he was patrolling, at work and took a break in front of Jet Stores. He said he then saw the accused carrying a bush knife, running towards him. He said he then ran for his life. “I ran into Footgear Store. The shop managers had to close the shop on that day as Matsebula was intent on killing me.

Relief

“Wangigeja ngalocelemba. He said namuhla ngikufuna ufile (today I want you dead).I hid inside the job for hours,” said the complainant. The guard said he got relief after a police officer, whose surname was Mbhamali, passed by, resulting in the accused person running away. He then alleged that the accused person wanted to commit the theft without disturbance. “I rushed to the police station to report the matter since it was the third time Matsebula attacked me. He had previously punched me in the face. He always comes looking for me every day between 4 and 5pm,” he said. The court was left shocked when Malinga alleged that the accused person had also threatened him even within the court premises, telling him that he wanted him dead. Matsebula first denied attacking the complainant with a bush knife when he was questioned by the court president.

Beating

“Malinga is lying that I attacked him with a bush knife. It is true that I once punched him in the face for lying against me. He even called me a thief. However, I am sorry for beating him up,” he said. Matsebula told the court that it was not true that he made a living by stealing goods from shops around Mbabane. He said he had been a library assistant in Mbabane since 2016. He went further to deny being associated with any gangsterism group known as 28. Meanwhile, the court decided to get CCTV footage from Footgear since the accused denied that he was in possession of a bush knife on the day. The accused then pleaded with the court to give him one last chance of giving his side of the story. “It is true that I attacked the complainant with a bush knife and I have kept it a home,” he said. Such admission infuriated Shongwe who said Malinga had wasted the court’s time. “This is a court and not the place where you can do as you please. You denied everything when I asked about the bush knife. Why did you waste court’s time?” asked the Court President.

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