swaziland times

EZULWINI – Cases of alleged violations by community police officers are becoming increasingly common in the country.

Barely a week ago, a community policeman in Shewula in Lomahasha constituency was arrested for allegedly disregarding the laws of the country and now, a male community policeman in Belina, a popular area in Ezulwini, has also been booked for alleged assault. The man, a well-known resident of Ezulwini, allegedly attacked Pastor Nandipha Shabangu of Divine Healing Ministries and her two children, accusing them of disrespect.

The incident reportedly took place at Shabangu’s home in Ezulwini last Saturday. The attack left the pastor with scars and she claims to have been in severe pain since the attack. Shabangu said she was taken to Mbabane Government Hospital for treatment where she was hospitalized for 24 hours, released and given medication. However, she continues to suffer. Investigation into the attack revealed that the accused had been threatening Shabangu and her family for the past seven years.

Violence

They were allegedly subjected to his verbal abuse until the incident on Saturday last week when he turned violent towards them. The community police officer was allegedly armed with a bush knife and an okapi knife (a smaller knife) when he physically attacked the family, both of which police seized after briefly detaining him. Neighbors who witnessed the incident said the incident had been brewing for some time due to an alleged conflict between them. The community policeman reportedly showed a negative attitude towards Shabangu and her children after they purchased the homestead, which was previously owned by his family, in 2017.

He seemed to have difficulty accepting that the area now belonged to Shabangu, hence his wilful behavior. A witness said the community police showed such a negative attitude because of the change of ownership. The neighbor asked to remain anonymous for fear of persecution. It is important to note that the identity of the accused is known to this publication but will not be disclosed until he is formally charged by police and appears in court.

Raid

Another witness said: “The man had been verbally abusing Nandifa and her family for years and constantly making threats. He believed the family should not live in the home and wanted them to leave.” According to the video clips shared with this publication, the accused was allegedly in a suspicious state of sobriety while beating up the Shabangu family members. According to eyewitnesses, the accused, armed with a bush knife and an okapi knife, confronted Shabangu and ordered her to leave the home, claiming that she did not belong there.

During the standoff, he tried to stab her with the okapi in front of her daughter and young son. When the daughter tried to protect her mother, she was accidentally stabbed in the hand. The accused then forcibly took his daughter to a nearby house where he picked up a machete and allegedly struck Shabangu’s daughter on the head with the side of the machete. The accused then tried to hurt Shabangu with the same weapon, but was stopped in time by her eldest son. He managed to wrest the knife from the accused and hit him back with it to protect his mother. Unfortunately, before her son arrived, the accused had already violently assaulted Shabangu, hitting her all over her body with her fists and feet.
In the video, the accused declared that he intended to cause serious harm to Shabangu and shouted that the family did not belong there. The next day (Sunday), a case of assault against the accused was opened at the Ezulwini police station. This was confirmed by the station chief, Mtsetfwa.

trouble

“The incident you are asking about was reported on Sunday. As we are only a police station, it has been transferred to Lobamba police station for further investigation. Please contact the police spokesperson for the latest developments,” said Mtsetfwa. Nandipha’s eldest son, *Menzi, also confirmed the assault on his mother by the accused. “He has been causing trouble for my family since 2018, making false accusations against my mother, threatening my mother. He believes that my family should not be living in this homestead. My mother did file a case against him at the Ezulwini police station and we hope that the law will take its course. He is a threat to my family,” Menzi said.

He mentioned that the mother’s medical report showed that one of her hands was swollen and there were painful bruises all over her body. The son made it clear that they would not be blackmailed by the accused and promised that they would not rest until justice was served. Reporters tried to seek comment from the accused but his phone rang several times between 1.30pm and 8.15pm yesterday but no one answered. Calls to Ezulwini Community Police Chairman France Dlamini declined to comment for unknown reasons, while a senior official in Belina Emirate also declined to comment, saying it was beyond her jurisdiction.

It is reported that the defendant will appear in court next Wednesday. Community policing is a proactive and collaborative approach to crime prevention. It emphasizes increasing community participation, building a strong relationship between the community and law enforcement, and establishing an effective law enforcement presence in the community.
In Swaziland, community police members work with the Royal Swaziland Police Service (REPS) to combat crime in different communities. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati requested for more time to verify the progress of investigation in the matter with the Lobamba police station.