Mbabane – Lindani Zitha, one of four men facing charges of blasting ATMs with explosives, has filed an application requesting the court to verify the authenticity of video footage allegedly showing him as one of the suspects, invoking the provisions of the Electronic Records (Evidence) Act of 2009.
Zitha, who is the fourth accused alongside Sicelo Msibi, Mzwandile Lukhele, and Given Mavuso, faces multiple charges, including malicious injury to property, as per Case No. 423/2022. All the accused have pleaded not guilty.
In a formal application submitted to the court, Zitha, through his lawyer, stated that the defence had obtained video footage purportedly capturing his arrest on August 20, 2022, at Cosy Corner in Mbabane, within the Hhohho District.
According to the defence, the footage was taken from the mobile phone of one Ayanda Temusa Madonsela, who was reportedly present during the arrest. The legal team is requesting that footage to be authenticated under the Electronic Records (Evidence) Act to ensure its admissibility in court.
“The purpose of the footage is to demonstrate the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Accused No. 4, and we request that your esteemed office authenticate these recordings in terms of the law,” part of the submission reads.
The application further reveals that the accused were arrested by a team led by Inspector Akhona Dludlu, who has already testified for the Crown, detailing how the suspects were apprehended for their alleged role in a string of ATM explosions across the country.
The defence insists that the video evidence is vital to the trial and could help clarify inconsistencies in the Crown’s version of events.
The case is scheduled to resume on November 7, 2025, before Magistrate S. Vilakati.
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