MBABANE – Sibulelo Jele, the lawyer-in-training at the centre of court proceedings over an alleged assault on his girlfriend following a weekend altercation, has spoken out.
In a sworn affidavit, Jele gave a lengthy account of the days leading up to the incident, admitting that a struggle between the two ended with his girlfriend sustaining an eye injury. The affidavit outlines a turbulent weekend that began on the Friday afternoon of July 25. Jele said he returned to his rented house at Mvakwelitje, Mbabane and later joined friends for drinks at Albert Millin and Solani’s. Jele claimed he kept in contact with his girlfriend, identified as Fisokuhle Dlamini, throughout the evening, but she did not return home or respond to calls. The next day, he said, she called requesting to come over. Jele alleged that he agreed only if she came to collect her belongings. She later arrived with a friend, but he refused to engage in conversation. On the Sunday, the two met again at a car wash after she tracked his whereabouts through a neighbour. Jele claimed she was in a drunken state and insisted they go back to his house, stopping to buy more alcohol along the way.
Once home, the situation deteriorated. According to Jele, the dispute reignited when his girlfriend accused him of cheating, refused to leave and demanded a cigarette from his pocket. When he refused, she allegedly tore his trousers while trying to grab it. He admitted to retaliating after she slapped him and pushed him against a window during a tussle over his car keys.
“I could no longer breathe properly,” Jele said, alleging she had grabbed him by the neck. “To ward her off, I swung my left arm and unfortunately struck her on the left eye.”
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