FOUR WOMEN SHOOTING: I WILL FOREVER REGRET IT - DEPUTY SHERIFF

MBABANE – The deputy sheriff who allegedly shot dead four women in Ezulwini, says he shall forever regret the manner the women died.

Vusi Charles Mncina yesterday moved an urgent bail application at the High Court, where he stated that: “I shall forever regret that they had to die in the manner in which they did.” He also claimed that he did not recall what happened on that day as he encountered a blackout.

He is facing four charges of murder and one of attempted murder. In his bail application, he narrated events leading to his arrest. He told the court that he was charged with four counts of murder and one of attempted murder. The accused brought it to the court’s attention that the counts were as a result of what he described as an unfortunate event of the evening of October 28, 2023, which took place at Goje Township, Ezulwini.

He related to the court that on the morning of that day, he had been called by his wife to attend to his son, who had suddenly fallen ill.  The accused said, he duly attended to the call and he took his son to a pharmacist around Mvutshini.     

Beverages

He narrated that at around 3pm on the same day, he received a call from his girlfriend, Khulile Shongwe, that there would be a gathering at her place at Goje Township, that evening.  According to Mncina, Khulile (one of the deceased) impressed upon him to buy alcoholic beverages, since she would be in the company of her friends and/or relatives, Lungile Shongwe, Nonhlanhla Thwala, Fikile Shongwe who were now deceased and one Thuli Mkhwanazi. He submitted that with Khulile, they were live-in lovers in her house at Goje Township.

The accused highlighted that even on the morning of the fateful day (October 28, 2023), he was with her in her house and they were in good terms. It was further his submission that he was also in good terms with all her (Khulile) friends such that before October 28, 2023, he was with Lungile in Manzini and they exchanged pleasantries.   

Mncina told the court that there was no bad blood between him and the deceased.  He alleged that Khulile insisted that he should come to the braai, despite that he had to attend a funeral at Bhunya in the morning of October 29, 2023.   

He claimed that he eventually gave in and bought the alcoholic beverages as requested by Khulile. Mncina said he found Khulile in the company of the four deceased women and Thuli (Mkhwanazi). According to the accused, he had been requested to come along with his friends, so that he could not be bored, since most of the attendees were women. He stated that as the function continued, he noticed two men who were unknown to him but whom he suspected were foreigners.

“One of the gentlemen had a private conversation with my deceased girlfriend, Khulile Shongwe. Feeling uncomfortable with the manner in which the stranger was touching my girlfriend, I pulled her aside, so I could amicably find out from her why the stranger was so intimate with her in my presence,” submitted the deputy sheriff.

He alleged that, with Khulile they went to the bedroom, where they discussed the issue and they talked it over. Mncina alleged that Khulile then joined the other women, who were equally surprised. Mncina said by this time, all the now deceased women had gathered in an enclosure, to which he would loosely refer as a pantry.  He told the court that the pantry was spacious, as it accommodated all the women.  

Laugher

“Just when I had moved out of the bedroom, Khulile’s phone rang and I took it with the intention of handing it over to her, as she had left it behind. I handed it over to her. Suddenly I heard a burst of laugher from the now deceased ladies. From this moment, I do not recall what happened until the moment I realised that they have been shot,” submitted Mncina.

He told the court that he immediately suspected that they might have died. The bail application is expected to be heard today and the prosecution is yet to file its papers in the event it is opposing the bail application. The accused is represented by Azi Comfort Dlamini of LN Dlamini and Associates in Manzini.

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