Bhunya – Police have arrested three men in connection with the fatal assault of a 19-year-old boy from Malutha, who died after being severely beaten over suspicions that he was behind a string of housebreaking incidents in the area.
A fourth suspect is still at large, and police say efforts are underway to track him down.
According to police reports, the incident occurred on 22 November 2025 at around 8:30 pm. The suspects aged 47, 38 and 38 from Tinyonini, Mabhukwini and Mangcongco allegedly confronted the teenager at a local sports ground where he had been watching a soccer match. They reportedly accused him of involvement in recent burglaries and took him away for what they claimed was questioning.
Police say the interrogation quickly turned violent. The man was assaulted repeatedly with sticks and a sjambok, sustaining severe injuries. He was rushed to Mankayane Government Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Sources revealed that this was not the first time the teenager had been linked to community suspicions; two weeks earlier he had been apprehended by community police but managed to escape. His return to the sports ground on Saturday reportedly led to the fatal confrontation.
The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has strongly condemned the attack, warning community members against taking the law into their own hands. The police emphasised that vigilante actions only fuel cycles of violence, urging the public to report suspected criminal behaviour to law enforcement so investigations can be carried out lawfully.
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