MPAKA ATM BOMBING: WOMAN SUSPECT A CLEANER AT MASTER’S OFFICE

SITEKI - The liSwati woman, who was arrested with three men in connection with the bombing of two ATMs at Mpaka, is a cleaner at the Master of the High Court offices.

Lomakhosi Dlamini (49) of Dlangeni, under Chief Nsukumbili, made her first court appearance before Siteki Principal Magistrate Donald Mavuso, together with her three co-accused; Dumisani Goodman Ngubane (34) of Daveyton, South Africa, Armando Maswangayi (27) from Mozambique and Lethukuthula Hlongwa (21) of Natal, South Africa, and they were slapped with 10 counts.

Appearance

It is worth highlighting that before their appearance in court, another liSwati woman, who is also a civil servant, was brought to court by the police in connection with the bombing of the automated teller machines (ATMs) at Mpaka on Friday. However, the fifth suspect appeared in chambers and information gathered by this publication is that he will either be charged together with the quartet or turned into an accomplice witness. In count one, they are charged with theft in that on December 6, 2024, at Mpaka, in the Lubombo Region, they allegedly stole money amounting to E533 350 from an ATM, belonging to First National Bank (FNB) Eswatini, which was in the lawful possession of Mbongiseni Sibiya.

On the same note, in count two, they were also charged with theft. According to the charge sheet, it is alleged that on December 6, 2024, while they were at Mpaka, in the Lubombo Region, the accused persons purportedly stole money amounting to E320 210 from an ATM belonging to Eswatinibank. It was said that the money was in the lawful possession of Andile Fakudze. In count four, they were charged with malicious damage to property in that on December 6, 2024, they purportedly damaged a FNB ATM and currency notes valued at E394 450.

Again, in the other charge, the accused persons are said to have allegedly damaged an EswatiniBank ATM and currency notes valued at E663 000. In count five, the accused persons were charged for allegedly contravening Section 11(1) of the Arms and Ammunition Act of 1966. It is alleged that on December 6, 2024, while they were at Hhelehhele, in the Manzini Region, they were found in possession of a black and silver 9mm pistol without a licence.

In count six, they were charged under the Arms and Ammunition Act of 1966, after they were purportedly found in possession of five rounds of ammunition without a licence or permit. The accused persons were further charged for allegedly contravening Section 9 of the Explosives Act of 1961, for being found with five explosives without a licence. Meanwhile, Maswangayi and Hlongwa were also charged for entering and remaining in the Kingdom of Eswatini without proper documents (passports).

In count nine and 10, they were charged with contravening Section 18(1) of the Public Order Act no 12/2017, in that they purportedly impaired the usefulness or impeded the working of EswatiniBank and FNB ATMs, which were installed for self-service financial transactions, which is an essential service to the community. The accused persons were remanded in custody until December 16, 2024, pending their trial date setting. Meanwhile, Ngubane, the South African man who is the first accused, applied that the car be released as he claims it belonged to his wife.

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