Africa-Press – Eswatini. Police have a made a breakthrough in the murder of police officers as two men have been arrested.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that two men aged 19 and 28 had been arrested for the murder of two police officers and a ranger in the Lubombo Region.
Vilakati said they also recovered two firearms, which were taken during the murder.
Following the arrests, one of the political formations in the country had alleged that police arrested two of their own under the suspicion that they were members of the so-called solidarity forces.
Their identities have been deliberately withheld pending their appearance in court.
According to sources, the two men were arrested on Saturday morning at Mkhondvo River along the Yithi Abantu Highway by police attached to the Serious Crime Unit (Lukhozi).
The sources stated that there were three men travelling in a vehicle when they came across a roadblock manned by the police together with officers from the army.
The police are said to have ordered them out of the car and called one of them to the side.
The sources said the one who was called aside was shortly thereafter arrested while the others watched in disbelief.
One of the men is said to have bolted, which saw the security officers open fire in a bid to have him surrender but he managed to escape while his companion is said to have surrendered. It was said that the one who surrendered after the shooting was subsequently arrested alongside his other companion.
Meanwhile, since the outbreak of the political unrest in the country, a substantial number of law enforcers have been shot and killed allegedly by members of the so called solidarity forces.
Constable Zinhle Mavuso was shot and killed near Manzini Club Traffic Circle while her colleague Philani was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
After that incident, Constable Sibusiso Matsebula was reportedly shot and killed once in the head by an unknown person who, after the incident, is understood to have crossed the road and walked towards Logoba direction.
Following that incident, a police officer Thulani Mthembu, the son to the late deputy commissioner Sam Mthembu was also shot and killed while preparing for a cleansing ceremony of his father at his parental home at Ngculwini.
In May 2022, a soldier popularly known as Me Dlamini was killed by unknown people at New Village in Manzini. He was killed after attending a prayer session.
Last month, two police officers from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), who were attached to the traffic department, were killed in cold blood, in broad daylight while on duty near Woodmasters behind Grand Valley.
workstation
Just recently, a warder was abducted from his workstation at the Sidvwashini Correctional facility around midnight on a fateful Thursday and was discovered dead in a forest at Ngwenya with gunshot wounds in the head and chest.
The murdered officer, Mike Menzi Mthethwa, was allegedly disarmed of his service rifle (R4), kidnapped and shot twice in the head and chest.
On the same night, a soldier by the name of Makhosini William Shongwe from Madelezini in Timphisini who was stationed at Nkoyoyo Palace, was also shot and killed.
Soon after that Mbongiseni Mthayi Dlamini was executed after being kidnapped, tortured and forced to record a video with a political message.
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