Wanted warder put on Interpol Red Notice
‘‘The 32-year-old Gina has been implicated in the kidnapping, assault and shooting to death of his then colleague Bheki Mike Mtsetfwa of KaBhudla who was stationed at the Sidwashini Correctional Services Facility.
MB A B A N E – Interpol has issued a Red Notice alert against on-the-run His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) officer Wandile Mpumelelo Gina.
A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
According to the notice, Gina is wanted in relation to murder and robbery charges.
The 32-year-old Gina has been implicated in the kidnapping, assault and shooting to death of his then colleague Bheki Mike Mtsetfwa of KaBhudla, who was stationed at the Sidwashini Correctional Services Facility.
SERVICE RIFLE
Mtsetfwa was also robbed of his service rifle, which is believed to be an R4.
Recent successful similar notices were those issued against Mbuso Ncaza Nkosi and Siphiwe ‘Tata’ Ngubane, who were wanted in relation to the daylight killing of businessman and soccer boss Victor Gamedze.
The two South Africans, who had fled back to their country after Gamedze was shot dead at a Galp Filling Station in Ezulwini on January 14, 2018, were arrested hardly two months after the Red Notice alert was issued.
On August 19, 2018, the then National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police, Isaac Mmemo Magagula, called a press conference to announce the arrest of the duo.
With Gina, it is believed that he is hiding in South Africa after he appeared in an interview with Swaziland News Editor Zweli Martin Dlamini.
In that interview, which was streamed live on Facebook, Gina was unveiled as a member of the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces (SISF), to which some murder and arson attack cases have been attributed to by the Swaziland News editor.
As published by our sister newspaper Eswatini News on October 22, 2022, when introducing Gina during the interview, the Swaziland News editor asked him about the operation undertaken by the SISF at the Sidwashini Correctional Services Facility.
OPERATION CONDUCTED
“Today, we woke up to the news that at Sidwashini Correctional Services there was an operation conducted by the Solidarity Forces, whereby a warder eventually died. Gina can you confirm that because we have seen your photos online identifying you as a person of interest in the matter; what can you tell emaSwati about yesterday’s (Wednesday, October 19, 2022) operation?” he asked.
The Swaziland News editor’s question was based on a photo released by the Correctional Services requesting the public to assist them in locating Gina as a person of interest in unlocking the kidnapping and murder case.
Gina responded: “Thank you Mlangeni, the operation of yesterday (Wednesday) was very professional, in a unique fashion. I cannot say much about that, what I can say is that may his soul rest in peace(sic).”
Gina confirmed during the interview that he was now a member of the SISF and he did not hide his participation in the kidnapping and subsequent execution of Mtsetfwa.
“To be a member of the Solidarity Forces in my understanding is to be ‘livukelambuso’ (a rebel) and to protect the rights of those who are oppressed, then if that is so, I can gladly confirm that I am a member of the Solidarity Forces,” he said.
ON-THE-RUN
Also present at the time of the interview was another on-the-run Correctional Services officer Bheka Brian Magagula of Nkambeni, who was based at the Pigg’s Peak Correctional Centre before he disappeared with a service riffle together with another colleague by the name of Phakamani Gravel Magagula of Dvokolwako.
They both disappeared on August 29, 2022.
Meanwhile, events leading to Mtsetfwa’s killing, as related by Correctional officers, were that three men arrived at the Sidwashini Correctional Services Facility in the company of a uniformed warder, who was also stationed at the same institution, at around 11:55pm on Wednesday.
The uniformed warder, who was later identified as Gina, was off duty when he arrived with the three unknown men at the Sidwashini facility.
It was gathered that Gina, who was driving a white single cab van with the trio, approached his colleague at the guardhouse and claimed that he was at the institution to deliver a parcel from the country’s authorities to one of the superiors.
It is still not clear as to what happened after Gina approached Mtsetfwa, who later went missing from his post.
SUPPOSED PARCEL
However, it is said that the officer who was manning the main entrance to the Correctional facility doubted Gina’s intentions because of the time he was bringing the supposed parcel to the institution.
He is said to have asked Gina how come he brought the parcel at night, considering the current situation in the country.
The officer reportedly realised that Gina was in the company of three other men, who were wearing coats and had their faces covered with masks, when he peeped through the spy window from inside the guardhouse.
Thereafter, the officer is said to have climbed the steps to see what was really happening and it is believed that the men thought the officer was on his way to raise the alarm, hence they fled, taking with them Mtsetfwa whom they later shot dead and left for dead at the Ngwenya industrial site, not far from the country’s busiest entry/exit point – the Ngwenya/Oshoek Border Gate.
RED NOTICE ALERT
Individuals placed on Interpol’s Red Notice alert are wanted by the requesting member country, or international tribunal and the member countries apply their own laws in deciding whether to arrest a person.
A majority of Red Notices are restricted to law enforcement use only.
Extracts of Red Notices are published at the request of the member country concerned and where the public’s help may be needed to locate an individual or if the individual may pose a threat to public safety.
The information provided in these notices may only be used for its designated purpose, namely to alert the public and/or seek information from the public in accordance with our rules.
The information cannot be used for any other purpose or any commercial
purpose.
This list is regularly updated by the Interpol General Secretariat based on information provided by the countries that request the issuance of the notices and their publication on this website.
As of yesterday, the total number of public Red Notices in circulation was 7 123.
Interpol’s role, as stated in the organisation’s website, is to enable police in the195 member countries to work together to fight transnational crime and make the world a safer place.
POLICE INFORMATION
“We maintain global databases containing police information on criminals and crime, and we provide operational and forensic support, analysis services and training. These policing capabilities are delivered worldwide and support three global programmes: counter-terrorism, cybercrime, and organised and emerging crime,” says Interpol website.
In Interpol’s 2021 annual report, general secretary said while working with regional bodies, the organisation remained the international linchpin of the global security architecture, one which helped police around the world connect on a daily basis to identify and bring fugitives to justice.
“These achievements are only possible through the commitment and contribution of our National Central Bureaus as well as the support of the President and Executive Committee, our General Secretariat staff around the world and law enforcement officers on the ground. It is through cooperation and innovation that Interpol will continue to drive efforts to make the world a safer place,” he said.
PERSISTENT THREAT
He stated that terrorism remained a persistent threat, which could be countered only by sustained global efforts.
He stated that disrupting terrorist travel was one of their priorities as every routine border check held the potential to foil a terrorist plot.
He said training for frontline officers ensured they had access to the right data in the right place at the right time – and the right reflexes to exploit it.
Locally, The Interpol National Central Bureau (INCB) in Mbabane is Eswatini’s lead agency for taking national criminal investigations beyond national borders when its law enforcement agencies need to work with police forces in other countries and continents.
The NCB sits at the heart of the Royal Eswatini Police Headquarters.