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Warder kills lover, turns gun on himself

30/08/2013 02:02:00 BY MBONGENI NDLELA

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PIGG’S PEAK – An on-duty officer from His Majesty’s Correctional Services has shot his girlfriend and himself dead using a service rifle.

The incident happened yesterday at around 11am at Luhlangotsini, in the outskirts of Pigg’s Peak.
Bongani Kunene (27) had been deployed at the Pigg’s Peak Magistrates Court guardhouse when he took his service gun (R5) and drove to Luhlangotsini where he shot and killed Nokuthula Dlamini (20).

This publication has established that Kunene, who hails from Mbangweni in the Shiselweni region, shot Dlamini three times before shooting himself in the head.

Dlamini was shot in the chest, left shoulder and right hand, just below the elbow.
The two lovers were found already dead inside a car in a bush near Luhlangotsini. Luhlangotsini is found along the Pigg’s Peak-Mbabane road, a few kilometres from Nkomazi. It is about seven kilometres away from the small town.

Information gathered is that Dlamini was at home at Luhlangotsini when she received a call from Kunene. The call, according to statements recorded by the police was directing Dlamini to meet Kunene at the main road near her homestead.

According to a relative to Dlamini, who claims to have heard the conversation, the two spoke about a bed which the officer had promised to buy for her.
It is said that Dlamini, however, called a few minutes after leaving home asking for help. She is said to have told her family members that Kunene was forcefully driving with her towards a nearby bush.
The Times has also established that after killing Dlamini, Kunene called his colleagues telling them to come and fetch the service gun. He is said to have given the officers directions of where he was in the forest.

Superintendent Wendy Hleta, Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident. She said the two were found dead with gunshot wounds. “Police have launched investigations but you can speak to the Correctional Services PRO,” she said.
Meanwhile, Bongani Khumalo, Correctional Service Public Relations Officer, also confirmed the incident.

“It is true that our officer shot himself dead after killing his girlfriend. We reported the matter to the police immediately. What we know is that Bongani was on duty at the magistrates court. He had with him a service gun.

“We understand that he used his car to drive to Luhlangotsini where the incident occurred. We are, however, not sure who brought his car to the magistrates court because when he left for work, he was driving a Correctional Services vehicle,” Khumalo said.

Correctional sends condolences

PIGG’S PEAK –Bongani Khumalo, Correctional Services Public Relations Officer, has sent condolences to the deceased warder’s family and to that of Nokuthula Dlamini.

“As the Correctional Services we are still at a loss for words about what has happened to both families. We would like to send our condolences to the Kunene and the Dlamini families and the Pigg’s Peak staff. Bongani, according to our knowledge, was still a young and potential officer.

We would, however, encourage our officers not to resort to violence whenever they are faced with personal issues. We have departments in place where officers can be assisted if they are faced with stressful problems,” Khumalo said.

‘Talk about love related matters’

PIGG’S PEAK – Commissioner of Correctional Services Isaiah Mzuthini Ntshangase has warned his officers to speak out on love related issues with their immediate supervisors.

He said this would help avoid situations where an officer would find himself/herself being overcome by emotions that could lead to a crime being committed.

He said the Correctional Services is designed in such a way that it has structures and departments where officers can use whenever they are faced with troubling love matters.
“I think if Bongani Kunene consulted our psychologist or chaplain, such a situation would have been avoided. It is very important for our officers to speak about whatever love problem they are faced with because they can get the necessary help and advice,” he said.

Ntshangase explained that Correctional Services officers are usually warned not to use service guns for personal matters.
“We are very saddened by the loss of the two lives and we would like to send our deepest condolences to their families.

It would be very hard for us to get another Bongani Kunene in as much as it would be hard for the Dlamini family to find another Nokuthula. The Pigg’s Peak Correctional Services staff is also at loss because of the contribution Bongani made at work,” the commissioner said.