Killed widow’s lover accused of adultery
MBABANE – The man who is reported to have been killed by a pastor and his siblings, c o u l d n o t g e t a s s i s t a n c e because the police allegedly did not have fuel and people called by the said they were adhering to the 6pm- 5am curfew.
umphakatsi
A sister to the pastor, Hlobsile Mhlabane ( 39) of Mayiwane in northern Hhohho al l eged t hat t he deceased committed adultery with their mother, resulting in their father committing suicide.
She said when he was found within their homestead at night on the day of the incident, a fight ensued and when he was injured, the family called the police and Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services, but were told that they did not have fuel.
The family is said to have then called the royal kraal and were allegedly told that every member of the umphakatsi who was c a l l e d f or a s s i s t a nce i nformed them that they were adhering to the 6pm to 5am curfew.
Members of the royal kraal allegedly arrived after 5am the following morning and by that time, Abednego Mamba had already died.
Hlobsile Mhlabane ( 39) of Mayiwane in northern Hhohho is one of five accused persons who were arrested for the murder of Mamba, who was found in possession of muti in their homestead at night on July 8, 2021 at Mayiwane.
Bail
Hlobsile, in her application for bail at the High Court, submitted that when confronted on why he was at t heir homestead at night, Mamba informed them that he had brought medication for their mother who was ill.
She said the deceased was found in the middle of the night in the premises of their homestead behind one of the houses. Hlobsile said she had gone out to use the bathroom when she spotted Mamba.
“Upon seeing him sneaking in the middle of the night, I was scared and shouted for help as I could not recognise him. He took out his knobkerrie as if to attack me and fortunately, my siblings had heard my cry for help and immediately arrived,” she said.
She alleged that the deceased had been rumoured to have been in a love relationship with her mother.
“There had always been rumours around t he community t hat t he deceased was involved in an extramarital love relationship with our mother to the point that our father committed suicide in 2010 and cited that relationship as the cause,” Hlobsile added.
She said t heir mother, when confronted about the presence of Mamba in the homestead; denied any knowledge of t he s ai d medication being brought by the deceased.
Arrogant
“The deceased was arrogant during that time and threatening to bewitch u s . T h e d e c e a s e d wa s d r u n k a n d went on to assault Busisiwe with the knobkerrie he was carrying as our conversation got heated.
“Having assaulted Busisiwe, my brother Thulani tried to come between them and he also hit me too. Mancoba ( Mhlabane) slapped him and a fight ensued.”
Hlobsile, a factory worker at Buhleni, submitted that they noted that the deceased was injured and called the police and Fire and Emergency Services Personnel.
S h e f u r t h e r s a i d h e r c o n d u c t o f calling the police for help after the deceased was injured, demonstrated that she submitted herself to law enforcement when called upon to do so and that no inference could be drawn that she would not comply with the enforcement of t he l aw i f r eleased on bail.
Hlobsile was arrested together with Mancoba Mhlabane ( 28), a Free Evangelical Assemblies assistant pastor, Busisiwe Mhlabane ( 47), Thulane Ezrome Mhlabane ( 42) and Mhlengi Lindelwa Shabangu ( 19).
Their bail application was heard by Judge Doris Tshabalala on Wednesday. J udge Tshabalala ordered t he accused persons to pay E15 000 bail. The court ordered that they pay E2 000 i n cash and provide surety for the balance.
On the other hand, the pastor was g r a n t e d b a i l l a s t we e k b y J u d g e Ticheme Dlamini, who fixed the bail amount at E15 000. Judge Dlamini ordered the pastor to pay E3 000 in cash and provide surety for the balance.