Swazi Observer

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SIPHO SHONGWE FALLS SICK, BAIL HEARING ADJOURNED

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi | 2018-10-17

As the witness from the ministry of home affairs was leading evidence which took hours, businessman and murder suspect Sipho Shongwe started showing signs of not being well.

He was facing down all the time the witness was giving evidence. Later on, Shongwe asked that he be given permission to go to the toilet.

After the court adjourned for about five minutes, Shongwe was escorted back to court. Shongwe’s attorneys requested from the principal magistrate that the matter be adjourned for another date as their client was not feeling well.

One of his attorneys Sipho Mnisi told the court that Shongwe was failing to follow the proceedings so it was pointless for them to continue.

The matter was then adjourned and Shongwe was led by the security personnel from His Majesty’s Correctional Services and Royal Eswatini Police Service.

This was yesterday when the crown took Shongwe’s attorneys by surprise when it not only opposed his bail application but also led oral evidence that Shongwe is a flight risk who possess two ID documents from Eswatini and one from South Africa.

The crown, in its papers, also alleged that Shongwe has a number of travel documents which he could use to escape from the country to another that has no extradition agreement with Eswatini.

Shongwe had appeared at the Manzini Magistrate’s Court before Principal Magistrate David Khumalo where he is applying for bail pending finalisation of his extradition case.

Shongwe’s attorneys expressed surprise before court, noting that they did not think the crown will be leading evidence.

They said they thought they were in court for purposes of bail arguments. However, after the court gave the crown represented by Macebo Nxumalo the go ahead to lead evidence, Ben Simelane, who is also representing Shongwe, agreed that the crown must continue with leading evidence.

During the proceedings, it surfaced that the crown was disputing everything presented by Shongwe’s attorneys. Simelane said the crown is even disputing that Shongwe is a businessman and the only thing they agree on is Shongwe’s name.

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