Africa-Press – Eswatini. Superintendent Jabulani Madlopha, the senior police officer who allegedly stole One Hundred Thousand Rands(R100,000.00) stockvel money testified against incarcerated pro-democracy Members of Parliament(MPs) Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube on Wednesday.
Madlopha made headlines after being exposed that he stole the said amount being monies kept at the Mbabane Police Station by women who had established a savings scheme known as a stockvel, he was forced by his superiors to take a loan and pay back the money.
Madlopha was among the Heads of Crime Investigations in the Lubombo and Hhohho Regions who testified during the ongoing trial of the MPs.
Superintendent Sipho Mabuza from Lubombo Region testified that he could not deny that none of the protesters said they looted or rioted because of what MP Bacede said in a press conference held on 24th June 2021.
He also confirmed that two (2) people were killed when police fired live ammunition at Siphofaneni on the 29th June 2021.
On another note, Superintendent Jabulani Madlopha from the Hhohho Police Regional Headquarters also testified that the damages incurred during the riots in the Hhohho Region amounted to E256 million.
Madlopha said the mayhem started at Msunduza location when protesters burnt tyres and stoned cars while it spread to other parts of the region adding that Swazis defied the order issued by the then Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku which banned protests and the delivery of petitions.
Speaking to this publication, Sicelo Mngomezulu, the lawyer for the pro-democracy MPs said the trial proceeded well in the past two(2)days adding that they were satisfied with their defense team.
“We believe that our Clients will be fully exonerated and we will be vindicated in our stated position that the MPs are not terrorists, they are political prisoners who are being persecuted by the current regime for advancing the aspirations of their constituencies and the cause for democratic reforms, as desired by many many Swazis”, said the lawyer.
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