Cops question 3 women over protest march

SITEKI – Police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the Sigodvweni Police Station on Monday hauled three women for questioning in relation to alleged participation in the protest march held outside the Matsapha Maximum Prison.

It was alleged that the women were part of 20 people who failed to deliver a petition after officers at the facility ordered them to disperse.

The people were demanding that His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) Commissioner General Phindile Dlamini should release the two incarcerated Members of Parliament (MPs), Mduduzi ‘Bacede’ Mabuza of Hosea and Mthandeni Dube of Ngwempisi together with political prisoner Amos Mbedzi.

Questioning

The women were Nokuthula Fakudze who resides in Matsapha, Nomphilo Hlophe and Zanele Maseko both staying in Manzini.

According to Fakudze, they were taken into police custody for questioning for their involvement in the protest march.

Fakudze claimed that they were warned against participating in future protest marches.

She alleged that charges were not preferred against them but they were made to record statements.

“We were asked why we were protesting. They further asked us about our place of residence and warned us that we are fighting people whom we are not supposed to. There were 15 police officers who questioned us and they then took statements from the three of us,” she claimed.

Fakudze claimed that they were made to explain their involvement in the protest action and further asked the identities of the people who invited them.

“We were harassed as one police officer came to us and warned us not to be found participating in such events in future,” alleged Fakudze.

Swaziland Rural Women Assembly (SRWA) Secretary General (SG) Cebile Dlamini condemned the police actions, stating that it was against the constitutional rights of the women.

The SG said the Constitution provided that every person had a right to freedom of association and expression.

Violence

Dlamini said as an association, they believed in dialogue and not violence.

“The police brutality is condemned because the women’s involvement in protests is another way of voicing out their concerns because they are also affected by the continued incarceration of the MPs.

“Development at the MPs’ constituencies has been stalled and there are huge numbers of women who were benefiting,” she said.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said no arrests were made.

“I cannot comment on the questioning part but there were no arrests,” she said.