LUBULINI: Armed Lubulini police officers were engaged in a dramatic shoot-out with members of the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces(SISF) on Saturday night after the forces invaded a house of Station Commander Assistant Superintendent Bheka Mabuza within the police camp.
It has been disclosed that the Station Commander was on the Solidarity Forces hit list for allegedly shooting and killing a pro-democracy activist Sifiso Sibiya during last year’s political unrest.
Insiders revealed that when the Solidarity Forces arrived at the Station Commander’s house within the Police Camp they broke windows and gained entry, however, they discovered that he was not there and decided to burn the house.
“It has happened that there were police officers who saw them entering the house and started questioning them, but they responded by shooting the police officers. The police fired shots back and the forces disappeared, by that they had already sprayed the whole house with petrol”, said the insider.
Reached for comments, Lubulini Station Commander Assistant Superintendent Bheka Mabuza who remains on the Solidarity Forces wanted list for killing a pro-democracy activist said he had retired and was not at work when the Solidarity Forces arrived at Lubulini Police Camp.
“I have retired and I was not at work,” said the Lubulini Station Commander.
Police Spokesperson Phindile Vilakati had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
In an earlier interview with this Swaziland News, members of the Solidarity Forces warned relatives, children including girlfriends of police officers not to sleep in the same room with them to avoid being mistakenly killed when they arrived.
Reached for comments, the Commander of the Solidarity Forces confirmed that they conducted an operation at Lubulini police camp.
“It’s true that we conducted an operation at Lubulini Police Camp on Saturday night, we were looking for the Station Commander who killed a comrade during last year’s political unrest. We wanted to kill him but we couldn't find him in the house and because the forces were already inside the house, we tried to burn it as an alternative but we were disturbed by the police that emerged. We want to make it clear that this is an ongoing operation targeting all police officers who killed civilians, that we have failed to get him doesn’t mean we won’t try again,” said the Commander of the Solidarity Forces.
Police officers during an operation.