By Phumelele Mtsetfwa | 2024-09-20

The community of Siphocosini outside Mbabane was left shell-shocked when a resident of the area, who is employed as a police officer, did the unthinkable when he allegedly drowned his son to death before later assaulting and strangulating his grandmother.

Muzi Mthokozisi Dlamini (49), it is alleged that he, started by holding his son and appeared to be praying for him as he was heard uttering the word ‘fire’ as if casting some demons out of him.

Sources said that was before he took his son to the nearest river, the Lusushwana River, where he proceeded to drown his son until he met his painful and untimely death.  

The police man allegedly laid hands on his son while walking with him to a river near the homestead where he put him inside the river as if praying for him while applying force.
According to a source, the police officer then left the child inside the river after laying his hands on him until he died.

Soon after that and as if possessed, the man was said to have proceeded home after allegedly killing his son and stripped off his clothes. After that, the sources said he then attacked his own grandmother by assaulting her with open hands before strangulating him.      

This shocking incident that has left the residents still talking about it took place on Thursday afternoon and according to well placed sources it took the intervention of other community members before the situation could get even worse.

The neighbours quickly apprehended Dlamini and controlled the situation while the police were being called to come and maintain order.   

The police arrived at the scene and arrested him, but unfortunately the life of the toddler had already been lost at the time of the intervention.

The incident was confirmed by Chief Police Information and Communication Officer (PICO) Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati who said: “On Thursday a 49-year-old man of Siphocosini area was arrested and charged in connection with a murder case whereby he is alleged to have drowned his 3-year-old son at Lusushwana River at 4:45pm”.

Meanwhile, Dlamini was yesterday remanded into custody in absentia at the Mbabane Magistrate’s court. This was after he had been expected to appear before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi however, the prosecutor in the matter Philile Dlamini applied to remand him into custody in absentia.

On the first count Muzi was charged with the offence of murder in that on September 12, 2024 at Siphocosini area he wrongfully and unlawfully drowned his son Akhumuzi Dlamini to death.

He was further charged with contravening the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act in that, on September 12, 2024, he physically assaulted Danda Dlamini, his grandmother with open hands several times on her face and further strangled her.

The prosecutor suspected that Muzi was mentally unstable as he was allegedly acting in a violent manner while within the Magistrate Court’s premises.

“I apply to remand him in absentia and I also apply for an order that he must be taken to the psychiatric centre,” she said.

The order was granted hence the principal magistrate directed that the suspect should be taken for admission at the psychiatric centre based on the reason that he was a danger to society.

He was remanded in custody at the psychiatric centre until September 29, 2024 pending setting of a trial date at the High Court.

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