THE security guard who was on duty when Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) at Mpaka were bombed in December 2024 has told the court that he was in the toilet, playing with his cellphone when the incident occurred.
Nhlanhla Ntokozo Dlamini, who was providing security at Savemore Complex, where the bombed ATMs belonging to EswatiniBank and First National Bank (FNB) were located, testified before Principal Magistrate David Khumalo at the Manzini Magistrates Court yesterday that he was on duty at the time of the bombing.
Leading evidence, Dlamini said at around 1am, as it was his routine during his shift, he went to the toilet to answer the call of nature.
He said while there, he was using his phone when he suddenly heard an unusual explosion.
“I was shocked and wondered where the sound was coming from,” he told the court.
Moments later, he said, he heard a second explosion.
Dlamini said instead of heading directly towards the source of the sound, he opted to take an alternative route.
He said initially, he suspected that his colleague, who was guarding the EswatiniBank ATM, might have been responsible.
However, after bumping into him in the darkness, his colleague, identified as Mbuli, also denied knowing where the sound had originated from.
Dlamini testified that Mbuli suggested that the noise might have been fireworks.
However, he said upon hearing a third explosion, they realised that the ATMs were under attack.
He told the court that after the third blast, the lights went off in the entire complex, smoke filled the area and visibility was poor.
Dlamini said he then saw a man walking towards the smoke and instructed Mbuli to keep watch while he went to report the matter to his supervisor.
While on his way, Dlamini said he noticed another man approaching the smoke-filled area.
He further testified that during this time, he received a phone call from the complex manager, who asked what was happening.
He said he informed him that unknown people were bombing the ATMs.
He said after alerting his supervisor, police from Siteki police station were contacted.
Dlamini said upon returning to the scene, he discovered that Mbuli was nowhere to be found.
“When the police later arrived, Mbuli reappeared and allegedly explained that he had gone into hiding out of fear after I left to inform the supervisor,” he said.
Dlamini further told the court that the entire incident—from the bombing to the suspects fleeing the scene, took approximately 30 minutes, during which the suspects allegedly made off with more than E1 million.
The matter has been postponed to March 11.
Toilet visit a blessing in disguise
MANZINI Principal Magistrate David Khumalo said it was a “blessing in disguise” that the security guard was in the toilet at the time the ATMs were bombed.
The magistrate made the observation during proceedings where lawyer Sivesokhe Ngwenya, representing accused number one in the matter, Dumisani Goodman Ngubane, was cross-examining Sipho Dlamini, the manager of Savemore Complex, where the bombing occurred.
Ngwenya asked Dlamini whether the security guard, Nhlanhla Dlamini, was expected to be patrolling the complex until knock-off time on the night in question.
After Dlamini confirmed this, Ngwenya pointed out that evidence before court indicated that at the time of the incident, Nhlanhla was in the toilet using his cellphone.
Ngwenya argued that, in light of this evidence, one could conclude that there was an element of negligence on the part of the security guard which may have contributed to the commission of the offence.
He submitted that had the guard been carrying out his patrols as expected, he might have intercepted the suspects and possibly prevented the crime.
However, Principal Magistrate Khumalo interjected, stating that the guard’s dereliction of duty may, in fact, have been a blessing in disguise.
He said it was fortunate that the guard was in the toilet when the crime occurred, as no one could predict what might have happened to him had he encountered the suspects while patrolling.
