“I was involved in the over E800 000 ATM bombing just so I could get E1 600, which I desperately needed.”
This was revealed by Lomakhosi Dlamini, one of the suspects who were arrested during the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) bombing at Mpaka last year.
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This came after Dlamini was turned into a State witness in the matter.
According to Dlamini, when leading evidence yesterday at the Manzini Magistrates Court before Principal Magistrate David Khumalo, on the day the offence was committed, she allegedly needed a sum of E1 600, which she was supposed to pay in her stokvel the following morning.
She alleged that she then borrowed the said amount of money from one of the suspects in the matter, Elli Olivia Khoza and he informed her that she should come to collect the money at Mbabane, since there was no Mobile Money outlet, where he could deposit the money for her where he was at that particular point in time.
She alleged that she then went to Mbabane and while at the capital city, Khoza, who was in the company of four other men, some of which were from the Republic of South Africa and were traveling in a sedan, came and picked her up. She claimed that while they were driving, there was a discussion amongst the occupants of the car that the ATM’s at Mbabane were not suitable for the job, hence they should travel towards those situated at the outskirts of the country.
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She alleged that as a result, they then drove all the way to Mpaka and Khoza was giving directions to the driver along the way.
Dlamini alleged that she was then informed that she was not supposed to be alarmed because she was soon going to hear a loud burst, which had the potential of shaking even the motor vehicle she was seated in.
She asserted that three men then alighted from the car and disappeared for a while and after some few minutes, she heard the loud burst she was warned about and before she knew it, the three men came back with three bags, threw them into the car and they swiftly drove off.
She alleged that while driving, there was an argument that some of the money was dirty (tainted with ink). She alleged that they were trailed by a police motor vehicle and they (police) opened fire after realising that they were speeding off instead of stopping the car as per their warning.
She claimed that during the car chase, two of the suspects, including the master mind of the operation, whom she only identified as Madondo, jumped out of the moving car through the window and vanished into thin air.
Dlamini alleged that the car chase continued until the police caught up with them and apprehended them. She claimed that thereafter, they were taken back to Siteki Police station and later they were transferred to Big Bend Correctional Centre.
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