Police in Swaziland shot
a man at close range after he overturned rubbish bins and then ran away from
them, local
media reported.
It is the latest in a long
list of police shootings in the absolute monarchy.
The Times of Swaziland, the only independent daily newspaper in the kingdom
ruled by King Mswati III, reported that a
21-year-old man had been suspected of throwing rubbish in the road and pelting
vehicles with stones.
The newspaper said, ‘he was shot by police at close range after
refusing to board their vehicle’.
It added, ‘This, after he
had been fingered to be one of those who pelted vehicles with stones and
further threw rubbish in the road. The bullet pierced through the man’s stomach
due to the close proximity of the shooting. The incident happened in the early
hours of Saturday [7 November 2015] in Ezulwini near Boma Restaurant.
‘A witness said the shooting happened after Simanga
Mnisi and his friend took to their heels when the police ordered them to board
their vehicle.’
This was not the first time
police have shot civilians.
In October 2015 police
fired guns and teargas at workers engaged in a legitimate protest against
employment conditions at the Zheng Yong Garment factory in Nhlangano.
A plain-clothed policeman shot an unarmed man in the
back killing him while on a public bus in February 2014. The man had allegedly
stolen some copper wire before boarding the bus, travelling from Siteki, in
eastern Swaziland to Manzini.
The Times
Sunday newspaper reported at the
time the driver of the bus Majahonke Zikalala said, ‘the man was attempting to
force his way out of the bus, the police officer shot him in the back, near the
spine… the man fell on the floor after which he was handcuffed while he bled’.
He died of his injures at the scene.
In March 2013, Swaziland police shot a man dead in
front of his 11-year-old child as he held his hands up in an attempt to
surrender to them.
Thokozani Mngometulu, aged 31, was killed as he got
out of his car at his homestead in Dlakadla, in the Shiselweni region of
Swaziland. Thokozani’s family, who also witnessed the killing, say he was shot
in the pelvis at close range by a police officer.
In June 2012, a serial rapist suspect Bhekinkhosi
Masina, popularly known as Scarface, was shot by police as they cornered him
for arrest. Police say they only shot him in the thigh and he unexpectedly died
of his injuries. The Times of Swaziland
newspaper later revealed he had been shot six times, including in the head and
back.
In a separate incident, a mentally ill man, Mduduzi Mngometulu, aged 34, was shot seven times by police and died of his injuries. He had four holes in his stomach, one in the leg and two bullet wounds on the left side of his chest.
These are not isolated incidents in Swaziland where police have a growing record of killing or maiming suspects before arrest. The cases have largely gone unreported outside of the kingdom itself.
In one example, police executed a suspect, Thabani Mafutha Dlamini, at Nkwalini in Hlatikulu in the presence of his colleagues and home boys in what local media called ‘cowboy style’. The Swazi Observer newspaper reported the incident in December 2011 saying, ‘Police had previously warned the mother of the dead man to “budget for funeral expenses” as they intended to remove him. He was said to be on a police “wanted list”’. Dlamini was unarmed.
In a separate case in February 2011, a Swazi policeman shot Mbongeni Masuku, described in media as a Form IV pupil, in the head in what was later described as ‘an execution-style killing’.
The killing happened outside a bar in Matsapha, an industrial town in Swaziland.
Masuku’s uncle Sigayoyo Maphanga said Mbongeni had been dragged out of his car by police. He told the Swazi Observer, a policeman whom he named, ‘shot my nephew at the back of the left ear and he fell on the ground with blood oozing from his mouth and ears. We were all shocked and angered by such brutality from police officers.’
In a separate incident, a mentally ill man, Mduduzi Mngometulu, aged 34, was shot seven times by police and died of his injuries. He had four holes in his stomach, one in the leg and two bullet wounds on the left side of his chest.
These are not isolated incidents in Swaziland where police have a growing record of killing or maiming suspects before arrest. The cases have largely gone unreported outside of the kingdom itself.
In one example, police executed a suspect, Thabani Mafutha Dlamini, at Nkwalini in Hlatikulu in the presence of his colleagues and home boys in what local media called ‘cowboy style’. The Swazi Observer newspaper reported the incident in December 2011 saying, ‘Police had previously warned the mother of the dead man to “budget for funeral expenses” as they intended to remove him. He was said to be on a police “wanted list”’. Dlamini was unarmed.
In a separate case in February 2011, a Swazi policeman shot Mbongeni Masuku, described in media as a Form IV pupil, in the head in what was later described as ‘an execution-style killing’.
The killing happened outside a bar in Matsapha, an industrial town in Swaziland.
Masuku’s uncle Sigayoyo Maphanga said Mbongeni had been dragged out of his car by police. He told the Swazi Observer, a policeman whom he named, ‘shot my nephew at the back of the left ear and he fell on the ground with blood oozing from his mouth and ears. We were all shocked and angered by such brutality from police officers.’
In a separate case in May 2011, Mathende Matfonsi
was shot dead by police while he was attending a field of dagga, inside the
remote forests of Lomahasha near the border with Mozambique.
His family accused the police of ‘cold-blooded murder’. Matfonsi was shot dead at Ebhandeni, the same area where Nkosinathi Khathwane had previously been shot dead by soldiers at night.
The police told residents that Matfonsi fired at them and they shot back. The family said he was unarmed.
In March 2010, police shot a man as he was trying to surrender to them. This time the victim, Mncedisi Mamba, did not die. His mother, Thoko Gamedze, said Mamba had his hands up and was surrendering to police, but they shot him anyway.
It is not only crime suspects who get shot at. In June 2013, police fired live bullets and teargas as children protested against alleged corruption at Mhubhe High School in Ngculwini Police were called after school pupils boycotted classes.
Local media reported police were armed with rifles and pistols. Gunshots were fired at the pupils after police drove them away from the school, but they tried to return.
His family accused the police of ‘cold-blooded murder’. Matfonsi was shot dead at Ebhandeni, the same area where Nkosinathi Khathwane had previously been shot dead by soldiers at night.
The police told residents that Matfonsi fired at them and they shot back. The family said he was unarmed.
In March 2010, police shot a man as he was trying to surrender to them. This time the victim, Mncedisi Mamba, did not die. His mother, Thoko Gamedze, said Mamba had his hands up and was surrendering to police, but they shot him anyway.
It is not only crime suspects who get shot at. In June 2013, police fired live bullets and teargas as children protested against alleged corruption at Mhubhe High School in Ngculwini Police were called after school pupils boycotted classes.
Local media reported police were armed with rifles and pistols. Gunshots were fired at the pupils after police drove them away from the school, but they tried to return.
Legitimate protestors are also targets. In February
2012, a woman at a protest march in Siteki, called by vendors and transport
operators over plans by the town hall to move the local bus rank, was shot in
the hand as she walked away from police. Reports said she was only 2 metres
away from police when they fired.
Police in Swaziland also shoot innocent bystanders. In May 2012, a student was shot in the leg by police as they tried to break up a protest at the Limkokwing private university in Mbabane. The 23-year-old was not part of the protest and was caught in crossfire, according to human rights activists in the kingdom.
Police in Swaziland also shoot innocent bystanders. In May 2012, a student was shot in the leg by police as they tried to break up a protest at the Limkokwing private university in Mbabane. The 23-year-old was not part of the protest and was caught in crossfire, according to human rights activists in the kingdom.
See also
TEXTILE
PROTEST: POLICE FIRE GUNS
SWAZI
POLICE SHOOT-TO-KILL
POLICE
SHOOT TWO STUDENTS IN HEAD
POLICE
SHOOT INNOCENT BYSTANDER
SWAZI
GUN COPS ENDANGER CHILDREN
POLICE
SHOOT AND KILL MENTALLY ILL MAN
POLICE
‘SHOT ACCUSED RAPIST IN HEAD’
POLICE
KILL SUSPECT ‘IN COLD BLOOD’
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