THABO, NKOMONYE IN NEED OF MEDICAL ATTENTION - LAWYER

MBABANE - Self-proclaimed ‘commander’ of the solidarity forces Thabo Kunene and his co-accused Sibusiso Nkomonye, are reportedly in dire need of medical attention after they were allegedly interrogated by the police.

   This was disclosed by their attorney, Professor Dlamini, during their second remand hearing at the High Court yesterday. Professor informed the court that the accused persons were experiencing excruciating pain all over their bodies due to the alleged interrogation they were subjected to by the police . Thabo, according to his lawyers, was experiencing severe pain in his back and he suspects that some of his ribs were fractured during the alleged interrogation. According to the lawyer, so serious is the situation that Thabo sometimes experiences hematuria, a medical name for the presence of blood cells in urine.Coming to Nkomonye, he stated that he sometimes bleeds from his nose and he was complaining of severe pain all over his body.

Situation

“They seriously need to go to hospital as the situation might get out of hand and they constantly require painkillers to subdue the pain in their bodies,” the lawyer said..  The duo’s health issues was brought to the attention of Judge Mazwi Mavuso by their legal team, which also consists of Leo Dlamini. It was immediately after Principal Crown Counsel Macebo Nxumalo had addressed the court that Professor stood up to apply that the accused persons should be allowed to go to hospital, as they were experiencing pain all over their bodies after they were allegedly interrogated by the police during investigations. He said his clients were also refused visitation rights.According to Professor, even their relatives were not allowed to see them at the Correctional Services facility, where they were currently detained.

Addressing

It was while Professor was on the floor addressing the court that Principal Crown Counsel Nxumalo, shot up from his seat to interject.“My Lord, I object because my learned friend is adducing evidence from the bar, which is not accepted,” argued Nxumalo. It was after Nxumalo’s submissions that Judge Mavuso informed Professor that he should he file a proper application, instead of taking the prosecution by surprise.“You should have brought a formal application earlier. You can even bring the application after the accused persons have been committed to the High Court,” said Judge Mavuso. Professor then informed the court that he would move a full-blown application to have the accused persons taken to hospital to receive medical attention. He also disclosed that in the same application, he would seek an order directing the authorities at His Majesty’s Correctional Services to allow relatives of his clients to have access to them.

Meanwhile, it was also recently reported that when the duo was arrested at the Inyanga’s home in the Republic of South Africa, they were assaulted with an assortment of weapons. This allegation was also confirmed by Kunene’s other attorney, Leo, yesterday who stated that the accused disclosed this when he had gone to check on him at the Correctional Services facility where he is currently detained. “He disclosed that he was also assaulted in the Republic of South Africa when they were at the inyanga’s homestead. There is a need for them to see a doctor as that is within their rights,” said Leo. According to Leo, they would do all within their powers to ensure that the duo was eventually taken to hospital.

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