I am safe and police won’t get me – Magawugawu

Mbabane: Siphofaneni member of parliament Mduduzi Magawugawu Simelane whose whereabouts are currently unknown has stated that police won’t get him.

Simelane told the Times of Eswatini that he was safe and the police will not get him.

The National Commissioner of Police William Dlamini had earlier advised the wanted Siphofaneni pro-democracy Member of Parliament(MP) Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane to hand himself over to the nearest police station.

The NATCOM said as a law enforcement agency, they had accordingly launched full-scale investigations to ensure that all those who broke the law in one way or the other, were brought to book. “In the same vein, operations are ongoing to see to it that looted businesses and privately-owned properties are recovered,” he said.

William Dlamini was quoted by the Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Service (EBIS) radio station on Tuesday confirming that 697 Swazis including MPs were arrested by the police in connection with the political violence that erupted during the protests. He then advised MP ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane to hand himself over to the nearest police station as a warrant of arrest has been issued.

Simelane is one of three legislators who have been calling for political reforms in the country. Two of his counterparts – Hosea Constituency MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Ngwempisi Constituency MP Mthandeni Dube – were apprehended on Sunday.

Charged

They were arrested for allegedly contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act while Mabuza was also separately charged for allegedly contravening Regulation 4 of the Disaster Management (COVID -19) Regulations 2020 under the Disaster Management Act 2006. Since the pair’s incarceration, Simelane has been said to be on the police wanted list. On Monday, the Crown said an arrest warrant for Simelane was issued on the same date as the ones for the pair – July 8, 2021.

In the charge sheet that was presented in court on Monday, it was alleged that Simelane acted jointly with Mabuza and Dube to incite the people of Eswatini to revolt against the constitutionally established Government of Eswatini. The Crown stated in the charge sheet that Simelane was a fugitive from the law. According to the charge sheet, as a consequence of the alleged incitement by the trio, there were riots in all the regions of the country. The Crown further brought it to the attention of the court that these riots caused loss of life, bodily injury to people, and destruction of private and public properties.

In light of the assertion that he was a fugitive, Simelane said he was not a fugitive. Worth noting is that his whereabouts remain unknown and today marks the sixth day since Simelane’s counterparts were arrested by the police.