A 26-year-old man of Ndzingeni who is alleged to have tortured victims with a hot iron during a series of armed robberies appeared before the Pigg’s Peak Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Phinda ‘Stout’ Shongwe appeared before Magistrate Thabiso Fakudze. He was formally charged with one count relating to robbery committed in the Hhohho region.
According to the charges, Shongwe is accused of robbing Simanga Sifiso Maziya at Machibini on February 12, 2025.
The charge sheet states that the accused allegedly assaulted Maziya with a bushknife on the chest several times and burnt him on the stomach with a hot iron in order to force him to surrender his property.
The charge sheet states that through the use of force and violence, the accused robbed the complainant of a yellow Mazda Demio valued at E30,000, a Hisense cellphone valued at E1,000 and E6,000 in Mobile Money, bringing the total value of the stolen items to E37,000.
The Crown applied for the accused to be remanded into custody and requested that bail proceedings be deferred as investigations were still ongoing and additional charges were expected to be brought before the court.
The prosecutor informed the court that it intended to add more charges against the accused and requested that the matter be postponed to allow investigations to be completed.
Magistrate Fakudze granted the application and ordered that Shongwe remains in custody until June 17.
Suspect also linked to crimes worth over E169 000
Phinda Shongwe, the 26-year-old man of Ndzingeni who yesterday made his first court appearance, is linked to a series of armed robberies.
He was recently arrested and is alleged to have terrorised communities in Northern Hhohho through a series of armed robberies involving property worth more than E169,000.
Shongwe was arrested by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) on June 1, following a police operation at Ndwabangeni under Mhlangatane Inkundla. He is alleged to have carried out the robberies with accomplices who remain at large.
According to information gathered, Shongwe and his associates allegedly targeted residents of Ndzingeni, Mhlangatane, Mzimnene and Mavula, where they reportedly attacked victims during the night, assaulted them and robbed them of cash and valuables at gunpoint.
Sources told this publication that victims were allegedly subjected to brutal forms of torture to force them to surrender their property.
“If there was an iron in the house, they would plug it in and burn the victim until they handed over money and other valuables,” said a source.
Community members said they had been living in fear due to the robberies.
“We were always afraid because these robberies happened frequently. After committing the crimes, the suspects would disappear for some time and people believed they had crossed into South Africa,” alleged another source.
According to information released by the police on their official Facebook page, officers received information that the suspect would be entering the country through an informal crossing point at Ndwabangeni.
“The suspect was arrested on June 1, at about 1700 hours around the Ndwabangeni area in Mhlangatane after police received information that he would be entering the country through an informal entry point,” stated the police.
Accomplices
Police further alleged that the suspect and his accomplices robbed victims at gunpoint and with knives before fleeing across the border.
Among the cases under investigation is the robbery of a 37-year-old man of Mzimnene, who was allegedly robbed of a Honda Fit sedan valued at E50,000, E35,000 in cash and a Samsung cellphone worth E1,800.
The vehicle was later recovered at a car wash at Luve.
In another incident, the suspects allegedly robbed a man of his car and a firearm, while at Mavula they allegedly raided a grocery shop and stole groceries, cellphones and cash amounting to E3,303.
Acting Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the arrest. “Investigations are continuing and some suspects are still at large,” said Mnguni.
