Concern as mob killing on the rise in the country

CONCERNED: Mphumakudze Indvuna yeMcuba Longoma Dladla raised his concern following the brutal assault of a man who later succumbed to the assault wounds, after he was allegedly caught with a stolen goat.

MBABANE – Mphumakudze Indvuna yeMcuba Longoma Dladla is concerned with the sudden rise of mob killing cases in the country.

He raised his concern following the brutal assault of a man who later succumbed to the assault wounds, after he was allegedly caught with a stolen goat.

The deceased was identified as Bukhosi Dlamini, a 55-yearold man from Mphaphati.

Sources with the community informed Eswatini News that the Dlamini had been implicated in the past in a number of stock theft incidents. The source said there was anger and frustration as the deceased allegedly had similar pending cases, some of which he allegedly agreed to have committed. However, this could not be verer ified.

The source disclosed that the mob was infuriated by the deceased’s continued alleged theft and considered him to be unremorseful even after he was confronted and informed the goat had been seen by a number of community members, slaughtered and the carcass hanged in his house.

The source said his refusal to acknowledge the theft, saw the mob ransack his house in an attempt to find proof.

They allegedly found the cut hooves of the goat and some parts of the goat carcass.

Infuriated

The source said this infuriated the mob who immediately started assaulting him.

“While being assaulted, he was being questioned on where he hid the rest of the carcass but he became unconscious before he could respond,” said the source.

The incident happened at Phaphati community in one of the areas between Siphofaneni and Kubuta Inkhundla.

The incident was further confirmed by community police member Fana Matsebula, who said the unfortunate accident happened on Sunday evening.

However, Matsebula said he learned about the incident on Monday morning when the news of his death started to circulate like wildfire in the community.

He also alleged that the deceased lifeless body was carried with a ladder (lilele) from the crime scene as the road was not accessible at night.

Meanwhile, Matsebula also alleged the Royal Eswatini Police Service was called but did not respond and the body was then carried to the Siphofaneni Police Station by a good Samaritan who offered that his car be used.

The source said his refusal to acknowledge the theft, saw the mob ransack his house in an attempt to find proof.

Mphaphati (arrow), where the mob assaulted a 55-year-old Bukhosi Dlamini allegedly for stock theft. This happened between KaPhunga and siphofaneni Inkhundla.

(Source: Google) Some members of the public captured meting mob justice. This is not to suggest that the people in the picture are the ones referred to in the story

Map of Eswatini, depicting some of the areas that are affected by the mob justice in country. The indvuna wants people to be taught citizen’s arrest.