By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: Police allegedly shot a suspect Mehluli Khumalo and subsequently handcuffed him onto a hospital bed at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial(RFM) hospital thus exposing him to serious health risks.

For almost three(3)days now, the suspect is unable to sleep properly or visit the bathroom,health workers fear that he might be in serious danger should the ward catch fire.

The crime allegedly committed by suspect that resulted to the shooting could not be ascertained at the time of compiling this report.

In eSwatini, police shoot suspects with impunity merely on suspicion that they committed crimes.

Reached for comments on Wednesday, Mbongwa Dlamini, the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAT) confirmed that he saw the patient at the RFM while checking on his relative.

“I saw the patient handcuffed onto a hospital bed and my main worry is that even if this person committed a crime, he doesn’t deserve to be treated like this. What is going to happen if the ward can catch fire? This means for three(3) days, the patient has been sleeping in one position and this will cause some sickness in the body”,said the SNAT President.

Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

Speaking to this journalist on his mobile phone on Wednesday afternoon,the suspect said he was shot by the police on both legs and was subsequently dumped at the RFM hospital.

“Maybe this is their way of punishing me for the crime they believe I committed”,said the suspect.

Reached for comments,Mayibongwe Masangwane, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) condemned the conduct of the police of handcuffing the suspect onto the hospital bed adding that this might affect the patient's blood circulation and create what he described as pressure sores inside the body.

“This is very wrong, it might affect the patient’s blood circulation and create pressure sores in the body. If they feel the suspect might escape, they were supposed to guard him not to handcuff him onto the bed,”said the Nurses Union Secretary General.

On another note, human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, when speaking to this Swaziland News on the subject matter said the police had no right to violate the suspect’s right to human dignity.

“We are living in an oppressive country but with a Constitution and part of this Constitution guarantees the fundamental rights and freedoms and they apply even to people suspected to have committed a crime. This means a suspect must be treated fairly until he is brought before the court of law. The right to human dignity is non-derogable.To tie someone on a bed after he has been injured is even worse. In my view and from a human rights point of view, that takes away the fundamental right of the person to be treated with dignity even if he is a suspect,” said the human rights lawyer.