MBABANE: Sam Mthembu, the senior Deputy Commissioner who tortured the editor of this Swaziland News Zweli Martin Dlamini for writing critical articles about King Mswati and his government has died.
Mthembu died on Monday morning at Mavuso Trade Centre, he has been given an assignment to trace and arrest the editor before he retires in July, unfortunately, he died before fulfilling his mandate.
On or around April 2020, the senior police officer tortured the editor’s wife Nompendulo Mkhonta demanding that she reveals the whereabouts of her husband, Mkhonta was forced to leave behind two minor children aged four and seven while being tortured by the police at Mbabane. Mkhonta later filed an interdict against the police that was vigorously opposed by Attorney General Sifiso Khumalo.
The Deputy Commissioner was also implicated in killing many political activists including Sipho Jele, a member of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) who was murdered in police custody merely for wearing a t-shirt belonging to the banned political organization.
Insiders within the health sector informed this publication few minutes after the Deputy Commissioner died, the information was later confirmed by senior police officers.
“Mthembu has died few minutes ago, he is being taken to mortuary now” said the source within the health sector.
Efforts to reach Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
The late Deputy Police Commissioner Sam Mthembu.