„‡ƒ‹‰„†”‡‹•ƒƒ”•ƒ”‡† ‘™ˆ ‰Š—‡
MBABANE - A 37-year-old man sustained a broken arm injury when disarmed by community police members, after he was seen carrying what appeared to be a gun at Gobholo.
Gobholo is an area situated a few kilometers from the capital city.
Information gathered was to the effect that the community police members sprung into action after having received information that Sifiso Hlatshwayo was seen carrying a gun.
It is said that Hlatshwayo gave the community police members a tough time before he was overpowered and disarmed. However, it is said that the community police members later discovered that what appeared to be a gun was a pellet gun.
A pellet gun is a non-spherical projectile designed to be shot from an air gun. Pellet guns are intended to injure individuals and cause pain.
Sensitive
They are active over short ranges up to 500 metres, but when fired from close quarters they can be lethal, particularly when sensitive parts like eyes are hit. They can also penetrate soft tissue.
Those who witnessed the incident shared that Hlatshwayo sustained the broken arm injury while wrestling over the pellet gun with the community police members.
It is said that police officers positively identified Hlatshwayo as an accused person, who evaded a pending trial at the Mbabane Magistrates Court.
Intent
He is facing assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm charges.
As a result, the police officers arrested and charged Hlatshwayo with contempt of court in that he failed to appear in court for trial after being warned to do so by Magistrate Lenhle Zulu.
He was supposed to appear in court on January 19, 2023. The Crown applied that Hlatshwayo be remanded in custody until May 25, 2023, pending setting of the trial date before Magistrate Zulu.
The Crown submitted that bail was denied on the basis that Hlatshwayo had breached his bail conditions, in that he failed to appear in court for trial after he was warned to do so.