Murder suspect Menzi ‘The king’s bail opposed
MBABANE – The bail application of a 44-year-old resident of Mkhuzweni, who was arrested for murder, is being opposed by the Crown.
Menzi Kunene, popularly known as ‘The king’, is facing a charge of murder for the death of Sikhumbuzo Tsabedze, who was 34 years old. The offence was committed on April 29, 2023 at Mkhuzweni in the Hhohho Region. Kunene was arrested on the same day by Pigg’s Peak police. The married father of 12 said he was innocent of the charge and would plead not guilty during trial.
In his application for bail, Kunene told the court that in 2020, he was severely assaulted allegedly by Tsabedze of Mumcuba, about twenty kilometres from his residence.
He alleged that Tsabedze assaulted him with a bottle on the head, which left a big scar. Kunene submitted that since his family was well-known to his, he approached them in an attempt to smoke the peace pipe.
“This is more so because he assaulted me during a funeral at a mutual relatives’ residence. My attempts and those of his family were in vain as the deceased refused to meet with me,” said Kunene.
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As time went on, according to Kunene, he would sometimes bump into Tsabedze and he would always make snide comments about the assault ‘but I decided to ignore him’.
“On the day of the incident, I was driving from a funeral at night when I passed Sikhumbuzo (Tsabedze) along the road to my home. He shouted some derogatory remarks to me and called me a fool whom he would beat up again. It was around 2am and I was very drunk.
“I stopped my car and took him in it and went with him to my home. I assaulted him on the buttocks with a sjambock and he apologised for his actions. We sat in my garage and conversed. I gave him food, painkillers with water.
“He later informed me that he was not feeling well and I asked my son to take him to the hospital in the early hours of the morning. I am advised that my son took him to Mkhuzweni Health Centre, where he later died,” Kunene alleged.
He said he was not aware of Tsabedze’s death and he only learnt of same when the police arrived at his home looking for his son. Upon enquiry, Kunene told the court that the police informed him that it pertained to the death of Tsabedze.
“I informed the police that Sikhumbuzo had been assaulted by me. They took me to custody and charged me with his murder. I submit before the honourable court that I had no intention of killing Sikhumbuzo but I was angry at the manner he was treating me after he had assaulted me with the bottle. I further submit that had I not been drunk, I would have ignored his snide comments as I always did.”
According to Kunene, he sent a delegation from his family to Tsabedze’s to apologise for the incident and to cater for the burial of the deceased. He said he was advised that the meeting of their families was a success.
Kunene’s application for bail was heard by Judge Ticheme Dlamini yesterday. The application by Kunene, who was represented by Sinakekelwe Mhlanga of Mabila Attorneys, was opposed by the Crown.