Africa-Press – Eswatini. A warder and soldier were on Wednesday night shot dead in separate incidents not long after two police officers were killed in cold blood in broad daylight on Tuesday.
The warder was abducted from his workstation at the Sidvwashini Correctional facility around midnight and was discovered in a forest at Ngwenya with gunshot wounds in the head and chest while the soldier was shot in front of his wife and children.
The soldier Makhosikhosi William Shongwe from Madelezini in Timphisini who was stationed at Nkoyoyo Palace was shot twice in the head.
While in both shootings the suspects remain at large, a warder has been implicated in the murder of his colleague after a failed break into the Sidwashini Correctional facility on Wednesday night.
The motive behind the failed break-in remains unknown as the implicated officer identified as Wandile Gina (32) from Ka-Mzizi in Siteki is still at large with three others he was with.
The murdered officer, Mike Menzi Mthethwa was allegedly disarmed of his service rifle (R4), kidnapped and shot twice in the head and chest.
He was found dumped in the forests at Ngwenya yesterday morning.
This comes after two officers from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) were killed in cold blood, in broad daylight while on duty near Woodmasters behind Grand Valley complex in Manzini on Tuesday.
According to HMCS Public Relations Officer Superintendent Gugulethu Dlamini, the murdered officer was on duty at the facility’s guard house when he was allegedly approached by Gina who was in the company of three men.
Dlamini said Gina and his assailants were able to gain entry at the first gate after deceiving Mthethwa that he was sent to deliver a parcel to a senior officer.
The correctional spokesperson said Mthethwa could not deny Gina entry as he was a fellow officer stationed at the facility.
She said the four men proceeded to the second gate where Gina allegedly again repeated that he was sent to deliver a parcel inside the facility.
According to Dlamini, the officer at the second gate refused Gina and his accomplices’ entry into the facility as it was in the middle of the night.
She said the officer became suspicious when he noticed that Gina and the men were wearing jackets and upon realising that the officer was suspicious, they are said to have aborted their mission and drove away while the officer tried to raise an alarm.
“Their agenda behind the attempt to enter the facility at night remains unknown but investigations are still ongoing,” Dlamini said.
She said the officers inspected the facility and Mthethwa was nowhere to be found.
“We found his cellphones, cable tyres and the log book he was using and we knew that his departure was not a voluntary one,” she said.
Dlamini said the matter was reported to the police and at around 5am they received a call from the police stating that a security guard at Ngwenya had found a man wearing HMCS uniform.
She said the police promptly responded to the call and reported that a man fitting Mthethwa’s description had been found in a bad shape.
“He was found in the forests at Ngwenya where we believe he was severely beaten as his clothes were dirty, before he was dumped,” Dlamini said.
She said Mthethwa was rushed to the hospital as he was still alive but badly injured.
When they arrived at the hospital they were told that Mthethwa was responsive but unfortunately he shortly succumbed to his wounds.
Dlamini sent condolences to the Mthethwa family, HMCS officers and the entire nation.
She said Mthethwa died while executing the oath he took that he would work with diligence to serve the country.
She urged HMCS officers to remember the oath they took when joining the service that they would work with diligence not to divert from their line of work as it would result to anarchy.
Mthethwa’s death, according to Dlamini, had caused misery among officers and the country at large.
She urged officers to be on the lookout and protect one another while executing their jobs.
“If we do not do our mandated jobs, we will put the country at greater risk,” she said.
Meanwhile, Shongwe’s family is said to have rushed out of the house after hearing a gunshot to find his attacker firing another shot at him as he lay motionless on the ground.
According to a source, the assailant arrived at Shongwe’s home at around 8pm, greeted the family from outside and when Shongwe came out to see who it was, he was shot once and he fell.
The source said that was when his family quickly rushed to see what was happening.
“The assailant shot him for the second time as his family was watching helplessly before disappearing in the dark,” said the source.
Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) Public Affairs Officer, Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, said her office was aware of the unfortunate fatal shooting that befell one of their own.
“With that said, the office of the public affairs requests that we give his family and all those his life touched the respect and time to mourn their loved one,” Khumalo appealed.
Timphisini residents described Shongwe as someone who would always visit his home each time he was off duty.
“Sometimes we would hardly notice when he was home because he did not move around much and would always be with his family. It is painful that his family witnessed his tragic shooting and that they will live with that memory for a long time,” a resident said.
Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed both incidents.
“A 48-year-old man of Madelezini, Timphisini, was shot two times in the head with a pistol by an unknown person while at his homestead,’’ said Vilakati in a statement.
She also confirmed that a man was found at Ngwenya with gun wounds in the head and chest.
Vilakati said they were following all possible leads that would help bring the suspects to justice.
The Prime Minister, Cleopas Dlamini, extended condolences to the families, relatives and colleagues of the two murdered police officers on Tuesday morning as well as the soldier and warder killed on Wednesday.
The premier said no act of violence in whatever form could be justified, regardless of the motive.
“Sitsi madvudvu kuso sonkhe sive,” Dlamini said.
He was speaking in the House of Assembly when addressing the issue of Phase II of the restructuring exercise within the security forces.
Dlamini said as government they noted with concern the ongoing killings of members of State security forces as such occur amidst calls for a national dialogue.
He said the killings do not enhance a conducive environment for a free and fair all-inclusive dialogue.
He assured the nation that they take all concerns from the public very seriously despite the difficult economic times government was faced with.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
