Murder, arson: 3rd suspect found
MANZINI – A third person has been arrested for the murder of police officers, arson attacks and also contravening the Arms and Ammunition Act, among other offences.
The third suspect, according to sources, was arrested at Mbekelweni on Sunday evening. The arrest was reportedly part of the ongoing investigations following the arrest of two suspects at Mkhondvo on Saturday afternoon.
Infact, there are five people who are currently in custody for the above-mentioned offences, though only three have been charged and the two are still assisting police with information.
On Saturday, two suspects were arrested and the third suspect was held after being found in possession of an R1 rifle with a single live round ammunition.
It was gathered that the arrest of the third suspect was dramatic as there were over 15 security personnel who participated in the operation.
Arrest
The security personnel were said to have comprised of members of Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) and police officers. The arrest of the third suspect, who is aged 52, tallied the number of guns found among the trio to three.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the arrest of three men aged 52, 28 and 19 from Gebeni, Mbutfu and Ngculwini, respectively.
The 52 year-old, according to Vilakati, was arrested for being found in possession of an R 1 rifle while the man aged 28, was arrested for being found in possession of a Browning pistol with 10 live rounds of ammunition without a valid licence. Vilakati said the teenager (19) was held with the others for their possession of an R4 assault rifle with 22 live rounds of ammunition.
According to impeccable sources, the R4 assault rifle with the 22 live rounds of ammunition was confiscated in Ngwane Park where it had been hidden.
It is said the assault rifle was taken from the two police officers who were assassinated in broad daylight along Woodmasters Street, while manning a roadblock.
When the officers were assassinated, the trio responsible for the assassination were said to have been travelling in a Honda Fit sedan which was khaki (beige) in colour and were in the company of a South African national, who at the time was said to have been spotting a dreadlocks hairstyle.
This publication gathered that this was a similar vehicle in which the two of the charged suspects were travelling in on Saturday when they were arrested in a barricade manned at Mkhondvo, which is about 32 kilometres from Manzini, just after the turn towards Kaphunga.
The sources claimed that when the vehicle approached the roadblock, one of the security personnel identified one of the people in the sedan.
It was gathered that when that happened, the South African national bolted out of the vehicle. Police stated that the South African national had not been arrested by yesterday evening and investigations were ongoing.
Meanwhile, sources informed this publication that the South African national was suspected to have exited the country through the informal crossing points back into his native land.
It was gathered that when he bolted out of the Honda Fit sedan, some of his particulars were left behind.