Barely a week after the police arrested a 33-year-old man of KaKhoza in connection with the kidnapping of a dentist, Mbabane businessman Celucolo Manchester Nxumalo has also been arrested and charged in relation to the same matter.
Nxumalo appeared before Mbabane Magistrate Senior Sifiso Vilakati yesterday.
According to the charge sheet, Nxumalo is facing five counts, all allegedly committed on January 3.
On count one, the charge sheet states that at Mnyamatsini, Nxumalo unlawfully and intentionally deprived Mncedisi Matsebula, an adult male, of his liberty by detaining him at Ekudzeni for a period of three hours against his will, thereby committing the offence of kidnapping.
On count two, he is charged with extortion. It is alleged that at Ekudzeni in the Manzini Region, he unlawfully and intentionally instilled fear in Matsebula and demanded payment of E15 000, threatening to torture and not release him unless the money was paid.
The charge sheet states that he obtained the money through such threats.
The charge sheet further states that Nxumalo committed assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm by assaulting Matsebula with open hands, fists and sticks.
On count four, he is charged with common assault after he allegedly assaulted Mtsamaya Manambitsa Dlamini at Baha’i by hitting him in the face several times and manhandling him by his clothing.
On the fifth count, Nxumalo is charged with common assault for allegedly pushing Matsebula aggressively onto the tarmac twice on the same day.
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During his court appearance, Nxumalo hid his face with a hoodie and mask and avoided cameras throughout the proceedings.
Upon noticing journalists, he cut short a conversation with his lawyer, Sabelo Mngometulu and kept his head down until he was called to the dock.
Mngometulu told the court that he had been instructed to apply for bail, submitting that the accused was a Liswati national and businessman operating between Manzini and Mbabane.
He said Nxumalo’s family depended on him and was being prejudiced by his incarceration.
“The accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” said Mngometulu, adding that Nxumalo surrendered himself to police after being alerted that he was wanted.
He stated that this showed he was not a flight risk and asked the court to release him on his own recognisance.
However, the court ruled that after considering the seriousness of the offences, bail should be fixed E3 000 under normal conditions.
The conditions included that Nxumalo should not commit any offence while the matter is pending, and that he should not interfere with the complainants, Matsebula and Dlamini, or any State witnesses, directly or indirectly.
He was remanded in custody pending payment of bail until February 3, when a trial date is expected to be set.
Meanwhile, Bonginkhosi Mrico Dlamini (33) of KaKhoza appeared before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi on January 16 following his arrest on January 14.
The Crown applied for a postponement and for the accused to be remanded in custody pending the setting of a trial date.
The court granted the application, and the matter was postponed to today
