MANZINI – The trial of three men accused of orchestrating a brazen automated teller machine (ATM) bombing at Mpaka took a detailed forensic turn yesterday.
This follows the coming in of the eighth witness, a veteran crime scene investigator, who testified extensively on the scale of destruction, recovered exhibits and procedures followed in handling the explosive-ravaged scene.
Detective Constable Sandile Vilakati of the Royal Eswatini Police Service, who is attached to the Lubombo Regional Police Headquarters, took the stand and presented a comprehensive account of what he observed and recovered at Mpaka Shopping Complex following the explosions of December 6, 2024.
Vilakati, who serves as an official crime scene investigator, draughtsman and photographer, told the court that he has 14 years of service in the police, with 10 years dedicated specifically to crime scene investigations. He further informed the court that he underwent specialised training at Matsapha Police Academy, where he was equipped with skills in crime scene examination, fingerprint lifting and proper collection, packaging and sealing of exhibits for forensic analysis. He told the court that on the morning of the incident, at about 5:30am, he received instructions from Lubombo Crime Branch Officer, J. Mabuza, to proceed to Mpaka Shopping Complex following reports of ATM bombings and theft.
“Upon arrival, I found several police officers already present at the scene, including senior investigators and officers from Siteki Police Station,” he said. Among those present, he mentioned, were Detective Superintendent J. Mabuza, Detective Inspector N. Mkhabela, Detective Inspector M. Dlamini, Detective Sergeant S. Mkhatshwa and several detective constables. Vilakati said he was shown the scene and briefed on the incident, and immediately noticed that smoke was still rising from the damaged ATM structures. “From a distance, I observed smoke still coming from the ATM rooms, which were semi-attached to the shopping complex,” he told the court. Due to the suspected use of explosives, Vilakati said he prioritised safety by cordoning off the entire area using tape and ensuring it remained under strict police guard. He explained that no detailed examination could be conducted until bomb disposal experts had assessed the scene. At around 6am, bomb experts Inspector C. Tsabedze and Constable Ndzimandze arrived and carried out a sweep of the area before declaring it safe. It was only after this clearance that Vilakati commenced a meticulous forensic examination of the scene. He told the court that the level of destruction was extensive, with debris from the ATM machines scattered as far as 70 metres away, including towards a nearby market area across the road. “I observed ruptured steel and plastic components from both ATMs spread across a wide radius,” he said.
The two affected ATMs belonged to EswatiniBank and First National Bank (FNB), both of which were severely damaged.
Vilakati further testified that during his examination, he recovered key exhibits that could assist in linking suspects to the crime.
These included two empty cartridges found approximately 40 metres from the destroyed machines. He said the cartridges were photographed and carefully packaged in sealed evidence bags for ballistic analysis. In addition, he recovered a surgical glove stained with green ink about 60 metres from the scene, which he also photographed and sealed as evidence. He also collected four electric cables believed to have been used in the bombing, all of which were documented and sealed in separate evidence bags.
The court also heard that between the two ATM structures, Vilakati observed a concentration of debris, including iron fragments and machine components, suggesting the force and direction of the explosions. He described the scene as chaotic and heavily damaged. “The security officer’s chair was overturned, the ceiling had collapsed, the walls were cracked and ATM parts were scattered across the ground,” he said.
Inside the EswatiniBank ATM room, Vilakati said he found that the safe room door was open and the adjacent wall had visible cracks, while the ATM itself was completely ruptured.
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