‘ I was assaulted, collapsed’

MBABANE – “I was heavily assaulted such that I collapsed.”

Micah Dlamini, the Parliament employee who was charged under the Grassfire Act of 1955 for having started a wildfire near Parliament, claims he was severely beaten by police officers after the fire incident. He said he had been fainting allegedly from the assault by the law enforcers.

Narrating how he was allegedly beaten, Dlamini said he was stopped by police officers at Lobamba on the road but he ran away as he feared that they would kill him and hide the evidence.

The Parliament employee was asked why he ran away. He said this was because considering the time when arsonists burnt buildings and properties, he could be implicated. Dlamini said he ran towards a home near the Somhlolo Shisanyama, where he hid.

He stated that the officers ran after him and took him out of the house. “One officer whom I know grabbed my private parts when they took me out of the house. The officers were about eight.”

Fainted

“I was heavily assaulted such that I fainted when they took me to the Lobamba Police Station. They used open hands to beat me, kicked me all over the body. I almost died,” he claimed.

Dlamini said he thanked God that he was alive to tell the tale on how he was allegedly assaulted by police officers

He alleged that he could identify some of the officers since they stayed within his area. The Parliament worker claimed that he was awoken by a splash of water in his nostrils, and realised that a female officer had poured it on his face.

He recounted that two police officers whom he knew entered the office where he was lying down and identified him. “My understanding is that police officers are there to protect and arrest people to face the law, not to beat people or kill them. If I was found to be in the wrong, they were supposed to only arrest me,” he said.

Dlamini said he suffered from constant headaches and his private parts were injured during the alleged attack. He said he reported the matter to the police and was currently making hospital visits to treat his condition.