MAN CONFESSES TO MURDER OF OK STAFFER

MBABANE – The man who is accused of killing an employee of OK Foods, has confessed to the murder.

Saneliso Doctor Simelane (33) of Madulini under Chief Nyakenye made his first court appearance at Mbabane Magistrates Court yesterday.He recorded the confession before Magistrate Xolile Nxumalo. Simelane was remanded in custody by Acting Senior Magistrate Sifiso Vilakati until next Friday. The Crown made an application in terms of Section 342 (2) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act of 1938 to take blood specimen from Simelane for the purpose of conducting further investigations.

Examination

Section (2) states that a magistrate holding a preparatory examination or a court trying any charge may order that the handwriting specimens or the fingerprints, palm prints and footprints of the accused be taken, and may order that all such steps be taken (including the arrangements for the taking of a specimen of blood for analysis) as may by such magistrate or court be deemed necessary to ascertain whether the body of the accused bears any mark, characteristic or distinguishing feature or shows any condition or appearance, or to ascertain the state of health of the accused.

Simelane is facing a charge of murder in that he allegedly killed Gabsile Mayaba by stabbing her several times in the neck, head and chest with an Okapi knife. The incident happened on Wednesday at Sitibeni in Mbabane. Mayaba was employed at OK Foods situated at The Bridge near Checkers in Mbabane. The accused did not oppose the application. The court granted the order sought by the Crown.

She was the mother of Simelane’s child, who is eight years old. Mayaba (35) was certified dead upon arrival at Mbabane Government Hospital. She was on her way home from work when she was attacked allegedly by Simelane.
Mayaba died at a time when she was preparing to marry her boyfriend after she separated from Simelane years ago.

Simelane, who is alleged to have harassed both Mayaba and her lover on various occasions, was informed by Magistrate Vilakati that due to the nature of the offence, he should move his bail application at the High Court.
The magistrate also advised Simelane that the State may only provide him with a pro deo counsel during the trial stage.

Simelane is a resident of Sitibeni. After the attack, Mayaba was found by a motorist lying helplessly on the road.
On the same evening of the incident, Mayaba’s family are alleged to have received information about her having been found lying on the road with multiple stab wounds all over the body.

Responsive

One of her uncles stated that the she was assisted by a motorist. However, along the way to the hospital, when the motorist realised that she was not responsive, he took her to the police station. According to the uncle, the police transported her to the hospital in a police van. “We received the information around 08:30pm and we rushed to the hospital and found that she was already in the morgue. “We requested to see her and confirmed our fears.

She had visible five stabbed wounds and we still don’t know if there were more, as that will be confirmed next week Wednesday,” said the uncle. The uncle further alleged that Mayaba’s assailant took her purse but left her cellphone, which is now in the hands of the police. On Sunday, Her Majesty the Queen Mother registered her concern over the continued killings in the country.

The Queen Mother registered her concern when she bid farewell to church leaders at Ludzidzini Royal Residence.
She urged pastors to preach the truth so that it could spread to everyone in the country. The Queen Mother said she believed that once the truth reached everyone, they would realise that killing each other would never be a solution.

Solution

She also reminded men about the siSwati saying, ‘indvuku ayiwakhi umuti’, adding that killing someone was not the solution. Mayaba’s murder happened at the backdrop of a number of GBV cases, which have occurred in the country, prompting Members of Parliament (MPs) and civil society organisations  to call  for GBV t be declared a national disaster. The recent case being that of a 16-year-old girl, who was stabbed, banged against a wall and hit with pieces of bricks allegedly by a 39-year-old man who is currently a fugitive of the law.

The suspect allegedly committed this offence after being released on bail following a charge of statutory rape linked to the deceased. The incident happened at Thulwane, under Mafutseni Constituency in the Manzini Region. The suspect was out on bail on two murder charges, as he was arrested for purportedly killing teenage girls – one in Matsapha and the other at Thulwane. Mphilwenhle Mavimbela dropped out of school in Form III last year as the suspect would waylay her on the way from school and force her to his home, where he kept her for days without her consent.

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