Mbabane: The National Commissioner of Police William Tsintsibala Dlamini has announced that police will offer cash to those who will bring information to the police that will lead to the arrest of people who are behind the burning of structures across the country.
In a press release, NATCOM said the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) noted with deep concern and dismay the ongoing acts of sabotage being perpetrated around the country.
Property estimated to be over E3 billion was destroyed during the political unrest in the country. These incidents have also continued as over the weekend, property valued over E1.2 million was burnt. Recently the police saw an attacked at the Matsapha Police camp and lately the attack at Senior Superintended Clement Sihlongonyane’s homestead.
Dlamini said the acts of sabotage were targeting various government structures, key community social services facilities such as schools, Tinkhundla centres, and Imiphakatsi. The NATCOM said businesses also continued to bear the brunt of the debilitating and senseless acts of saboteurs. He said later, they were witnessing the bombing of police camps and private homes of police officers.
“It should concern all of us as a nation that while efforts are underway to rebuild properties damaged during the onset of the unrest that besieged the country in June, there are elements that are still hell-bent on sowing seeds of anarchy, causing more destruction and further undermining the peace and stability we have always known,” said Dlamini.
He said as a law enforcement agency, they condemned these barbaric and irresponsible acts of violence in the strongest terms possible, as they were a massive setback for the country. Dlamini said it was shocking and bewildering how the saboteurs had stooped so low as to target schools, which threatened the future of children and literally threw it into complete disarray. “Surely this is unacceptable!”
He said as a police service, they wanted to assure the nation that they would not rest until they brought the offenders before justice so that law and order could take its normal course in the country. Dlamini said the police acknowledged that without the assistance and support of various stakeholders, inclusive of members of the public, they could not succeed in discharging their mandate. “It is against this background that we appeal to the peace-loving citizens of this country to assist us with information that will lead to the arrest and subsequent prosecution of the perpetrators of the acts of sabotage. We have a cash reward for such information that will be proffered to the police,” he said.
The NATCOM, when sought for clarity on the exact amount of the cash reward, said: “We did not state it deliberately as there are many cases where we seek assistance in.” He said the value of the property destroyed also varied. Dlamini said the amount to be rewarded for valuable information shall be determined per case.
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