'SUNDAY' PROBES POLICE KILLING

The Times Sunday has accused the police of lying about the killing of Ntokozo Ngozo, a known criminal and political activist.

The police say Ngozo was armed and dangerous, and police had to shoot him dead to protect themselves.

But the Times Sunday (19 August 2007) has found witnesses who say that police shot Ngozo in cold blood while he had his hands up and was pleading for his life.

Reporter Charles Matsebula of the Times Sunday has found two witnesses who say that Ngozo was shot four feet from the doorstep of the house he was staying in. Ngozo was half naked wearing only a pair of jeans and walking barefooted. He was not armed. His hands were up in the air and he begged the police not to shoot but they shot him point blank.

WITNESS ONE told the Times Sunday that the house was surrounded by police and Ngozo realised he was about to be arrested. ‘Wearing only underwear, he run to the back door and locked it. He came back and quickly put on his pair of jeans and half naked, barefooted, he walked to the front door very slowly with his hands up.’

The eyewitness added, ‘He took one step, coming outside the house and stepping on the ground. Police were in front of the house watching him.

‘At that moment, a voice from the police officers who were behind the house shouted, “If it’s Ntokozo shoot him, if it’s Ntokozo shoot him” and they fired. He cried out loud when hit by the bullet as he pleaded for their mercy, but they fired again and he fell on the ground still crying.’

The witness added, ‘I knew that Ntokozo had no gun with him because he was sleeping naked then the police arrived.’

WITNESS TWO told the Times Sunday that police officers used him as a human shield to protect them against any possible gunfire. He said, ‘Someone from behind shouted, “It’s Ntokozo. It’s Ntokozo, shoot him, shoot him”, and there were gun shots and everybody ran for cover as at first most of them did not see who was shooting.’

The eyewitness added, ‘When I tried to look, Ntokozo was already on the ground. They [the police] pulled me back and we went out of the kitchen and went around the house to where he had been shot.’

The eyewitness said that Ngozo pleaded with police not to kill him. Ngozo spent two hours groaning in pain while police interrogated him about criminal activities. Police also interrogated two other people who were at the house.

The Times Sunday has also established that police did not take Ngozo to hospital immediately as police had claimed.

According to the newspaper, the police arrived at the house in Nhlangano about 7am and immediately confronted and shot Ngozo. Witnesses say they did not take Ngozo away from the scene until just before 10am, by which time he was dead

Times Sunday reporters later saw Ngozo’s body at the morgue. The Times Sunday reports, ‘At the morgue, this newspaper found Ngozo’s body still half naked, proving that he had not been wearing anything during the time he was shot. Bullet holes could also be seen in the stomach but police refused further inspection the moment they realised we were taking pictures.’

On the Monday immediately following the shooting which took place on Saturday morning the Times of Swaziland (13 August 2007) quoted the police public relations officer Superintendent Vusi Masuku on the incident.

Masuku is quoted as saying Ngozo was killed by police in retaliation as he had opened fire on the police who were closing in on him at his hideout.

Masuku is quoted saying, ‘Police acted on a tip off from an anonymous caller and they reported to the scene. The police introduced themselves after cordoning the house.

‘Amidst their introduction a shot was fired from inside the house and the suspect Ngozo came from the house running and officers tried to stop him but he did not comply.

‘Subsequently he was shot with an intention to incapacitate him and he was injured. He was later conveyed to the Nhlangano health centre where information about his death was disclosed later that evening.’

On Tuesday (14 August 2007), the Times of Swaziland quoted Masuku saying that the police conceded that Ngozo had not been armed.