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WANTED EX-WARDER WHO FLED ESWATINI DURING UNREST TELLS IT ALL

29/05/2024 10:48:00 Stanley Khumalo

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MANZINI – One of the warders who left the country at the height of the political unrest and was wanted by the police, has come back to tell it all.

The former officer of His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) was on Monday afternoon presented before the Manzini Principal Magistrate, David Khumalo, where he recorded a confession. In the confession, he detailed how they operated, who recruited him and how they committed some of the crimes, which resulted in the death of some members of the public.
The name of the former warder has been concealed as investigations are reportedly still ongoing and is due to be formally charged. The former warder, according to insiders, has been in the country since October 2023. The insiders claimed that at some point he was regularly seen around Dvokolwako. However, the insiders supposed that after a few weeks, he was taken by one of the State security forces who had kept him since then. The sources purported that the State security forces kept him for almost six months.

Protection

This publication has it in authority that during his stay under the protection of one of the State security forces, the former warder was sheltered in some of the lodges within the townships in Manzini. He is said to have been lodged at the pay-per-day complex until recent weeks. Some of the people engaged around the area claimed that they had been curious about the high level of security which frequented the area. The residents claimed that in recent weeks, a number of foreign registered Toyota Hilux GD 6 vehicles, frequented the lodge. They claimed that in one instance, there was seemingly a clash between the security personnel who were frequently seen at the lodge and some senior police officers. The insiders claimed that this resulted in the owner of the lodge also showing up to try and diffuse the situation. However, insiders claimed that in this instance, the former Correctional officer left with the police officers. He was said to have later returned to the lodge.

The insiders claimed that days later, he was seemingly relocated. However, on Sunday, insiders claimed that he was at the Manzini Police Regional Headquarters, before being presented at the Manzini Magistrates Court to record a confession. Insiders supposed that the ex-HMCS officer in his confession shared information on how he was recruited into fighting the State he had sworn to protect and serve. It is worth noting that two ex-HMCS officers, Bheka Brian Magagula of Nkambeni and Phakamani Gravel Magagula of Dvokolwako, disappeared from their duty stations on August 29, 2022. They left with a service assault rifle.

Also, another warder, Wandile Mpumelelo Gina, disappeared from his workstation – Sidwashini, on October 20, 2022, after being allegedly involved in the shooting and killing of his then colleague, Bheki Mike Mtsetfwa of KaBhudla, who was stationed at the Sidwashini Correctional Services Facility. Mtsetfwa was also robbed of his service rifle. Sources supposed that the former warder also shared the roles played by various individuals at the height of the political unrest. They alleged that the former warder was, along with others, assigned to assist in the stealing of guns from the HMCS.

Killing

It is worth noting that at the height of the political unrest, the modus operandi of those dubbed the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces (SISF) was killing, among other things, those who represented the State, including police officers, warders, soldiers and traditional authorities. The SISF was a group that carried out terrorist activities around the country and in engaging in its activities, it also stole guns to use in its quest. Among the guns stolen was an R4, which was taken from two traffic police officers who were shot and killed at Woodmasters, Manzini. The officers were Sifiso Ivin Mthembu and Sonnyboy Dlamini. They were killed on October 18, 2022. The firearms allegedly used in the murder of the officers were an R4 rifle and an R1 rifle.

According to the police, it was the same firearms that were used in the murder of a soldier at Mahlabatsini, the murder of a game ranger at Nsubane Farm, the murder of police officer Thulani Mthembu at Ngculwini and during the kidnapping and robbery of a head teacher at Nyakatfo High School, together with three staff members. It is worth noting that events that culminated in the political unrest experienced in the country in June/July 2021 led, according to the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) in a report titled Kingdom of Eswatini Conflict Insights, by the end of June 28, 2021, about 28 protesters had been shot and by July 6, 2021, it was supposed 45 people were killed allegedly by security personnel in the country.
Following the unrest, there were constant bombings and arson attacks which were also accompanied by the killing of 10 security forces personnel since May 2022.

The 10 security forces personnel were shot dead in different instances by gunmen, who at times disarmed them and left with their service weapons. These guns were suspected to have also been used in the commission of other criminal activities. From May 24, 2022, five officers had been killed from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), two from His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) and two from the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF).