COPS, WARDERS, SOLDIERS RAID LAZWIDE, NGOMA’S HOMES

SIPHOFANENI – Drama unfolded yesterday morning when the country’s law enforcers raided homes of Siphofaneni Member of Parliament (MP) Nomalungelo LaZwide Simelane and former Senate Deputy President Ngomuyayona Gamedze, under unclear reasons.

The raids, according to information gathered by the Eswatini News, happened in the early hours of yesterday morning, where armed police officers accompanied by soldiers and warders are said to have invaded the homes of the two mentioned politicians unannounced and without any search warrants.

Snatching

They are alleged to have not only failed to produce search warrants when asked to do so, but are accused of  allegedly forcefully snatching away MP  LaZwide’s cellphone from her hand when she tried to record the incident.  According to the MP, the officers were not happy that the Siphofaneni legislator was taking pictures, as they were conducting the search and are said to have deleted the pictures after forcefully taking the cellphone from her. It has further been established that over 20 officers were part of the raids, while a helicopter was also spotted patrolling the Siphofaneni area during that period.

Rudely

The invasion by the officers at the MP’s homestead is said to have caused terror among the children that were allegedly rudely forced to wake up from their beds, as early as 4am.
Upon seeing the officers armed with guns, some of the children are said to have taken to their heels before finding refuge in another house inside the compound, in fear of the unknown.

Road-block

Interesting to note, is that soon after the raid, which is said to have lasted for over an hour, a heavy road-block was mounted along the route leading to the MP’s homestead, where cars passing by were searched. Noteworthy, is that officers from the three security forces conducted the roadblock. However, Acting Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Nosipho Mnguni made it clear that the raids in Siphofaneni were not targeted at the two mentioned politicians.“People should not be misled to believe that the raids were only conducted on the two (LaZwide and Ngomuyayona) because other homesteads were searched as well.“There is nothing sinister about the raids because we never announce them to the public anyway,” Mnguni stated briefly. The police communications officers could not comment on the concerns that the raids were conducted without search warrants, which is contrary to what was required by law.

Disappointment

The Station Commander at the Siphofaneni Police Station was also asked to comment on the raids, but he referred such inquiries to Mnguni. Some of the residents at KaMkhweli, where LaZwide resides, registered their disappointment at the raid, pointing out that it was deliberately staged to instil fear. “The children were made to go through the trauma of seeing soldiers carrying guns inside their home. “It is also disappointing to note that the officers could not produce search warrants when asked to do so, yet they continued to turn things upside down in the houses they entered. “I feel pity for the family,” one resident, who asked to remain anonymous said.

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