Mob, 1 killed
Meanwhile, another accomplice also denied having committed the crimes he was associated with.
He said, in the past, he used to commit crimes, but he had since repented from his unbecoming behaviour.
To his knowledge, the person who committed all the crimes was still at large.
“On the night of Tuesday, I heard that there was a break-in and alcohol at a bar and money were stolen. I pray that they catch the person behind the crimes. I am not a criminal anymore,” he said.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said a 23-year-old man succumbed to the injuries inflicted by the mob.
Attention
“The one who died was among others who were admitted to the hospital. Two others were admitted later and all of them are still receiving medical attention at the hospital. Police are still investigating the circumstances leading to the mob justice. No arrests have been made yet,” she said.
Mozambican nationals’ representative in the country, Domingo Thomo, appealed for good behaviour among Mozambican nationals staying in the country.
Thomo said it was unfortunate that Banda died in this manner and urged community police to work collectively with the police to combat criminal elements in communities.
“We discourage such misbehavior among our nationals as emaSwati have been good to us and some of us have jobs and homes here. They must refrain from crime and work to earn a living. Residents and community police should work together to curb crime in communities,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the past two months, nine people have died in mob attacks in different occasions across the country. Recently, a 55-year-old man of Mphaphati under Siphofaneni Inkhundla was attacked and killed by a group of 15 community members, who implicated him in stock theft.
Concealed
According to a community member, who asked that his identity be concealed for security reasons, the members of the community attacked Bukhosi Dlamini after being informed that he was linked to a number of stolen cattle and goats that constantly disappeared in the community.
Worth mentioning, is that eight people have been arrested in connection with the mob justice that took place at Nkonka in Matsanjeni a week ago, where four men were killed.
Another recent incident of a mob attack also saw a 25-year-old man of Sitsatsaweni area being heavily assaulted by a mob after being allegedly found raping a 32-year-old woman whom they were enjoying alcoholic beverages with on New Year’s Eve.
MAPHUNGWANE
Also in January, at Luhlokohla area, near Ngculwini, one was killed by a mob in connection with stock theft.
The source claimed that the deceased had, in the past, been linked to a number of stock theft incidents of goats and cattle in the community.
In December last year, police officers from Lubulini Police Station made a breakthrough after successfully arresting a man who was driving a Honda Fit sedan at Lubulini, loaded with 20 goats suspected to have been stolen around Siteki.
Meanwhile, in November last year, Siteki Principal Magistrate Dumisani Magagula acquitted 19 of the 25 residents of two communities under the Siphofaneni Inkhundla, on the basis that they obeyed a restraining order that had been granted to the late Mabhensane Primary School Head teacher Sayinile Irene Sikhondze.
Gunned
The late head teacher was gunned down by an unknown person while at her home situated at Nceka area under Siphofaneni Inkhundla.
Meanwhile, in December 2021, a Toyota van, valued at over E65 000, which was transporting 26 goats, was torched by a mob of 20 men from KaShoba area on suspicions that the goats were stolen.
Worth mentioning, is that a 78-year-old man of Madulini area in the Shiselweni Region was also killed last week Friday by a mob, on suspicions that he was allegedly having sexual relationships with school-going children.
It is worth noting that a man who was assaulted by the suspects when they robbed him on Tuesday night was also admitted to the hospital on Wednesday night. According to a healthcare worker at the hospital, the man sustained a gaping wound on the head and was discharged yesterday morning.
“He came with the police and he had an open wound on the head. He was stitched and given medication and discharged this morning (yesterday),” said the healthcare worker.
* Not real names