Africa-Press – Eswatini. Courageous patrons of New Village Wine and Malt on Saturday night chased about seven armed robbers who had opened fire and shot about six people.
The incident happened just before the recreational establishment closed for the day, at about 11:30pm, according to Sizwe Buthelezi. The proprietor of the business said three people entered his business and one of them jumped on top of the pool table, before starting to shoot randomly at the clients within the establishment. He said the suspect first fired four shots at the ceiling of the establishment before shooting the patrons randomly. Buthelezi said as the gunman fired the shots, one of his accomplices, who just like the others had disguised with a balaclava, jumped over the embankment on the counter to where there was the cash register.
Cellphones
He said the suspect who jumped over the counter was carrying a backpack, which he used to put items such as cellphones and the daily cash accrued from the sales. “They took about E3 000, over seven cellphones and wallets, which the clients request us to keep for them as a means to avoid being pick-pocketed,” Buthelezi said. While one of the suspects ransacked the counter for valuables and cash, another suspect was said to have chased after a sales lady, who had fled to hide in the establishment’s bathroom. Buthelezi said the robbers assaulted the sales lady and stabbed her in the wrist as they demanded that she showed them additional cash collected on the day. It was gathered that the woman was also banged against the wall.
While all this was happening, it was said the robber standing on top of the billiards table started shooting at some of the patrons at close range. In the process, he shot Morris Tsela, 38, in the knee.
Tsela was found at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital, where he was admitted on Saturday. He said healthcare practitioners had informed him that the bullet went through the tissue and had not damaged much of his ligament.“It was something that happened unexpectedly and we are lucky to be alive,” he said. Tsela envisaged to be released from the healthcare facility by today, as he said other than that he was limping, he felt fine. Meanwhile, two beds from him was another patron who was shot on the upper part of the arm and somehow the bullet pierced through his arm and exited on the curve of his shoulder blade. The patron, who requested not to be identified, said he was shot while fleeing from the commotion inside the drinking hall. He said about four more robbers were standing lurking in the shadows of the dark.
Flee
“As we tried to flee, one of them shot at us and I was injured. I suspect they were trying to stop us from fleeing,” the patron said. He said after being shot, the robbers emptied his pockets and among other things, took his cellphone. The patron said they were brought to the public healthcare facility by the proprietor of the establishment – Buthelezi. Buthelezi confirmed this and said after dropping off the two patrons, four more people arrived at the RFM Hospital, who said they were injured during the skirmish. The businessman said his establishment had been affected by the high crime rate, such that during the past festive season, there were two robberies which occurred. Buthelezi said in one of the robberies, the suspects entered the establishment through cutting a hole in the roofing. He said during that break-in, the robbers stole alcohol and other valuables, including cash in the billiards table.
Subsequently, he said other suspects also broke into the establishment through dismantling the burglarproof windows and tried to take a gambling machine. After failing to take the gambling machine, he said the robbers broke it and emptied the cash from it. Meanwhile, on Saturday night, he said some of the patrons were brave because after noting that the robbers were no longer aiming at them when firing gunshots; they started to chase after them. Buthelezi said the robbers capitalised on the lack of streetlights along the Mhlaleni – Nhlangano Public Road and fled towards a sporting field which is about 400 metres from his business establishment. This is where he suspected their getaway vehicle was waiting for them. Buthelezi said the patrons chased the robbers over the aforementioned distance despite that the armed gang would frequently discharge their firearms to dissuade the patrons from pursuing them.
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