Mbabane – Nine men from the Lomahasha area, including several community police officers, are seeking an urgent release from custody after being charged with the murder of an alleged stock thief.
The applicants appeared before Justice NM Maseko in the High Court today, April 22, 2026, following their arrest for the death of 37-year-old Mzwezwe Sifundza. The Crown has filed a notice of intention to oppose the bail application.
According to court papers, the group was arrested on April 14 after a mob of over 50 community members confronted three men suspected of stealing cattle and smuggling them into Mozambique via an informal crossing at Mantjolo.
In a founding affidavit, the first applicant, Mzinyathi Samkeliso Khoza, 52, maintains that he and his co-accused did not kill the deceased. Khoza, a member of the community police, stated that they arrived at the scene only to find the suspects already being “heavily assaulted” by other community members with sticks and open hands.
The applicants claim they initially cooperated with the Royal Eswatini Police under the impression they were being called as witnesses, only to be charged with murder upon arrival at the Lomahasha Police Station.
“We did not assault nor kill anyone on that day,” Khoza stated, describing the situation as a case of mistaken identity.
The legal team representing the men, Sivesonkhe Ngwenya Attorneys, argued for an urgent hearing on the grounds of personal liberty. The defense noted that several of the accused are the sole breadwinners for large families, while two of the applicants, Mangaliso Matfonsi and Hleliswa Matimba, are Form 3 students at Mbokonjweni High School who are missing critical exam preparations.
The defense further argued that the men are not flight risks, citing their deep roots in the Lomahasha area and their previous cooperation with investigators.
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