MANZINI: Senior Superintendent Thabo Hlophe allegedly made a telephone call to Simunye Desk Officer Nhlanhla Sibusiso Nkomonye on Sunday evening around 8:30pm, informing him that King Mswati’s alleged traditional healer Andile Nkomonye known as Dr Mkhulu, has been arrested in the Republic of South Africa (RSA).
Dr Mkhulu who colluded with Senior Superintendent Thabo Hlophe including Clement Sihlongonyane to kidnap and subsequently traffic alleged Solidarity Forces Commander Thabo Kunene through informal crossing, is facing rape charges, he was arrested and kept at Rustenburg Police Station.
“Eish, sovile yini kutsi umngani wetfu soboshiwe(meaning:Have you heard that our friend has been arrested),” Senior Superintendent Hlophe allegedly said in the telephone conversation with the Simunye Desk Officer.
But, both electronic and documentary evidence obtained by this investigative journalist suggests that, after receiving the call, Simunye Desk Officer, a brother to Dr Mkhulu subsequently took an early flight to South Africa to attend the court case.
According to a copy of the Desk Officer’s flight ticket in possession of this Swaziland News, police officer Nhlanhla Sibusiso Nkomonye left the airport on Monday morning around 7am, with the newly launched Eswatini Air.
Efforts to reach Senior Superintendent Thabo Hlophe proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments, Simunye Desk Officer Nhlanhla Nkomonye denied that he attended Dr Mkhulu’s court case.
“I did not attend the court case”, he said briefly when contacted on Monday afternoon.
On another note, Dr Mkhulu’s court case was attended by, among others, Mlungisi Makhanya, the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) and Bongnkosi ‘IB’ Dlamini, the Convenor of the United Eswatini Diaspora(UED). Both political leaders are currently working on a case of kidnapping with the South African police against Dr Mkhulu and two senior police officers being Thabo Hlophe and a Clement Sihlongonyane.
Dr Mkhulu appeared at the Landdroskantoor Magistrates Court North West on Monday facing rape charges.
Simunye Desk Officer Nhlanhla Sibusiso Nkomonye.