By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MASHOBENI: Armed King Mswati’s police allegedly invaded the home of Mduduzi Mkhonta at or near Mashobeni this week and demanded the whereabouts of his dead body with the alleged intention of removing bullets.

Mkhonta was allegedly shot and killed by soldiers on Saturday merely for travelling at night as Mswati’s security forces intensify the killing of civilians as an intimidation tactic to silence those calling for democratic reforms.

The soldiers who allegedly killed Mkhonta normally patrol the Mashobeni-Matsamo border line in the Northern Hhohho region in search for Underground Forces suspected to be smuggling guns and other weapons.

Reached for comments, Mpendulo Mkhonta, the brother to the deceased said the police have been demanding the corpse since Monday.

"They started by negotiating to do a post-mortem and remove the bullet. After we,as a family refused saying we wanted to bury the corpse with the bullet,they negotiated again.On Wednesday, we received a call from the Ekhaya Funeral employees informing us that the police were at the mortuary demanding the corpse. We told the employees not to release the body. Then today (Thursday), the police told us that tomorrow (Friday), they would grab the body by force. Batsi kute umuntfu lowake wagcwatjwa netinhlavu emtimbeni," he said.

One of the police officers who arrived to demand the body has been identified as Dludlu from Pigg’s Peak Police Station.

A questionnaire was sent to Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

But in a public statement sent to this Swaziland News on Thursday evening, Penuel Malinga, the Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) expressed concerns with the escalating killing of civilians by the State.

“Soldiers preferred to also sip in the cup of hatred of our people to pledge heroism to the monarch by killing Mduduzi Mkhonta who was first assaulted and then shot. On another episode, a member of PUDEMO Cde Brian Sihlongonyane was heavily assaulted by plain clothe soldiers who left him on the scene and was later helped by passers.This continued brutality happens at the backdrop of the June 2021 political unrest which was sparked by the same cancerous conduct of the state forces in particular the police force and has claimed dozens of lives while left hundreds wounded physical,”reads the statement in part.

The PUDEMO Secretary General said Mswati’s police and soldiers did not learn after the international condemnation following the June 2021 political unrest that resulted to the death of dozens of civilians.

“This was supposed to be a great lesson in the forces. Despite this sad phase of our countries history which saw many highly reputable figures and international bodies calling for action against the police in question, nothing was ever done, instead those involved where moved to places with better working conditions. The government failed to understand that a single life lost is worth more than any property under the sun, as life cannot be given back while property can always be rebuilt in any case or if they did understand, they are continuing killing with impunity,”reads the statement released by the political organization.

As reported by this Swaziland News earlier this week, Mduduzi Mkhonta was shot and killed by King Mswati’s soldiers in the early hours of Saturday merely for travelling at night.