Hoced an withdraws assauŽt charge against neigh„our
MBABANE - A 27-year-old man of Sibovini looked shocked on Friday when he appeared at the Mbabane Magistrates Court to withdraw a charge of assault he had laid against another man.
Zwelihle Malindzisa (27) appeared at the magistrates court to withdraw a charge of assault he had laid against Qiniso Maseko, who allegedly assaulted him with a beer bottle once on the left eye.
The accused allegedly committed the offence at Kupheleni area on February 10, 2021. Both the complainant and the accused appeared before Acting Principal Magistrate Sifiso Vilakati.
The complainant, who was cross-examined by Christopher Sibandze, the Prosecutor, said he knew the accused as they were neighbours.
He told the court that he had come to withdraw the charge he laid against Maseko, because they had settled the matter. He said this after the prosecutor asked him the main reason why he was in court.
“I have come to withdraw the case against the accused who assaulted me with a beer bottle on the face.
Actions
“The reason is that he came to me and showed remorse regarding his actions,” said the complainant.
He further said coming to court to withdraw the charge had nothing to with any threat he received from the accused. Sibandze asked him whether Maseko threatened him with anything which later forced him to withdraw the charge.
“I was not threatened by the accused or offered a bribe. Witnessing him and his family approaching me to ask for forgiveness, resulted in me forgiving him. Coming to withdraw a charge against him is proof of reconciliation between me and him,” he said.
Vilakati then asked the accused what he did to force the complainant to withdraw the charge against him.
The acting principal magistrate asked the accused why he was lying that he did nothing to force the complainant to withdraw the charge against him, but insisted that he was being truthful.
The accused walked out of the court a free man, after Vilakati declared that his charge had been withdrawn.
Worth noting, after Maseko first appearance before the court on March 18, 2022, he made a bail application which was successful. His bail was fixed at E800.
On June 13, 2022, he appeared in court again for the setting of his trial date. At the time, he was remanded out of custody until June 20, 2022 for his trial.