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MBABANE – One of the eight people arrested for the murder of four men at Nkonka says he is innocent of the charges against them.
Joseph Fondololo Mabuza (64) of Matsanjeni under Chief GasawaNgwane, who is a former police officer, said he would plead not guilty when the matter went to trial. Mabuza had filed an application for bail at the High Court. His application was heard by Judge Ticheme Dlamini yesterday.
The court granted the elderly man bail in the amount of E50 000. He was ordered to pay E3 000 in cash and the balance to be in the form of surety.
Mabuza and his co-accused, who include a pupil, are facing four murder charges. Some of them face other charges such as arson and kidnapping.
In his application for bail, Mabuza told the court that they appeared at Shiselweni Magistrates Court in Nhlangano. He said he applied for bail at the magistrates court but the application was denied. Mabuza submitted that he was advised to file his bail application at the High Court. The accused informed the High Court that he was innocent until proven otherwise by a competent court of law. “I will plead not guilty to the charges during the trial,” Mabuza said.
The accused submitted that he was not a flight risk and would abide by the bail conditions. He told the court that he would not escape or avoid trial. “I have my roots and heart here in Swaziland (Eswatini),” he added.
Mabuza is the first among his co-accused to be granted bail. He was represented by Leo Ndvuna Dlamini of LN Dlamini and Associates.
Mob
The four people who were killed allegedly by the mob at Nkonka, an area under Matsanjeni in the Shiselweni Region, are Fanele Shabangu, Mfanawenkhosi Mhlanga, Sikhanyiso Mngometulu and Bonginkosi Sdudla Shiba. The quartet was killed on January 19, 2023 by a mob. The recent robberies occurred over the past weekend, where about 10 businesses and homesteads were attacked.
In one of the incidents, an elderly woman was hacked with a bush knife on her back by people who were demanding money from her. The elderly woman was currently admitted to the Matsanjeni Health Centre. Other victims were workers of the health centre and textile firms, who stay in rented apartments around Matsanjeni. In yet another incident, a block of rental flats at Matsanjeni was broken into and tenants were robbed of cellphones and money, among other things.
According to sources in the area, the culprits did not hide their faces when
Joseph Fondololo Mabuza says he is not guilty.
LIST OF ARRESTED PEOPLE
Ntsetselelo Tiger Nxumalo (32) of Nkonka under Chief GasawaNgwane Mfundo Comfort Casseria (26) of Nkonka under Chief GasawaNgwane Mlungisi Bongani Ndlovu (33) of Nkonka under Chief GasawaNgwane Mlungisi Lunga Nxumalo (38) of Nkonka under Chief GasawaNgwane Sandile Hemmar Nxumalo (34) of Nkonka under Chief GasawaNgwane Pupil.
Senzo Trevor Gravel Vilakati (35) of Gege under Chief Velamuva
Joseph Fondololo Mabuza (64) of Matsanjeni under Chief GasawaNgwane.
committing the crimes, which made it easy for the community to identify them. It was also established that a former Member of Parliament (MP) in the area was also attacked by the gang, who demanded money and also injured him.
Another resident revealed that criminals broke into a Khumalo homestead and demanded money. They were able to get away with E8 000 in cash and the family members’ cellphones, among other valuables. This was confirmed by one of the family members.
Most of the cases are said to have happened last weekend.
In some cases, it was revealed that the thieves stole clothes that were on the laundry line. Some of the shops owned mostly by businesspeople of Asian origin had to be closed amid the robberies which occurred on a monthly basis. In one instance, thugs fetched some of the shop owners from their residences and ordered them to open the business premises and surrender money to them.
Sources told this publication that all the robberies were carried out at gunpoint. In some instances the thugs would be armed with bush knives. Last Saturday, sources claimed that while the criminals were attacking the tenants at Matsanjeni, one of them (criminals) was stabbed by people staying in the flats and had to be taken to hospital.