MBABANE: Eswatini police are law unto themselves, Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini told the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC)World Service Africa Daily.

Dlamini told the BBC in an interview that was broadcasted on Monday that police were the main suspects in the death of Thabani Nkomonye because the car he was driving at the time of his death was discovered hidden at Matsapha Police Station with a bullet hole, despite the fact that police had appealed to members of the public to assist in locating the car and Nkomonye. He alleged that police commit crimes against the citizens and later claim to be investigating themselves.

“His car was found hidden at the police station. So what triggered the tension is the fact that when we investigated the matter we discovered that the police, despite that they had earlier announced and appealed to members of the public to assist in locating Thabani and his car, we discovered that the car was hidden at the police station with a bullet hole”, he said.

The editor said what further fuelled the protests was the fact that members of the public including students were beginning to see that their problems were caused by the current political system.

Responding to the allegations on BBC, Government Spokesperson Sabelo Dlamini said people were free to express themselves and demand justice regarding the death Thabani through the protests while observing COVID-19 regulations. He said Government launched an investigation to gather the truth on Thabani's death and the investigations would be conducted publicly to enhance transparency.

Eswatini, a tiny Kingdom situated in Southern Africa and ruled by billionaire King Mswati as an absolute Monarch is currently facing growing calls for democratic reforms. About 70% of the population including the youth in eSwatini lives below the poverty line, political parties are banned from participating in elections, the Prime Minister, Ministers, Judges, a majority of Senators and all members of the various Governing Councils are choosen by the King.