“He Was Dating Our Mother”: Three Brothers Remanded for Killing Mother’s Lover

Three Brothers Remanded for Killing Mother's Lover

“He Was Dating Our Mother”: Three Brothers Remanded for Killing Mother’s Lover

Three brothers from the Hholoshini area in Eswatini have been remanded in custody after appearing before the Mbabane Magistrates Court on charges of murdering a man they allegedly believed was having a romantic relationship with their biological mother. The suspects — Mlondi Mbuli, 25; Sakhelwe Mbuli, 18; and Lindani Mdziniso, 23 — will remain behind bars until July 10, 2026, pending the transfer of their case to the High Court, where murder charges are ordinarily tried. The accused appeared before Principal Magistrate Sfiso Vilakati in connection with the death of Njabulo Ngwenya, whose lifeless body was discovered in the early hours of June 28, 2026. According to police reports, the incident occurred in Hholoshini, within the Hhohho Region of the southern African kingdom. The case came to light when the victim’s mother, Sibongile Motsa, reportedly found her son’s body inside her sister’s residence at approximately 1 a.m. on the day of the incident. She immediately alerted the Royal Eswatini Police Service, prompting an investigation that swiftly led to the arrest of the three siblings.

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Investigators allege that the brothers launched a brutal assault on Ngwenya using bricks, stones, sticks, punches, and repeated kicks, inflicting severe injuries across his body that ultimately resulted in his death. Preliminary findings from police indicate that the attack was allegedly motivated by the brothers’ belief that the deceased was involved in a romantic relationship with their mother. The family-related motive has drawn significant public attention across the country. While the three accused have been remanded, they have not yet entered pleas to the murder charge. Authorities have not disclosed additional details beyond what was presented during the initial court proceedings, as investigations remain ongoing.

During their initial appearance at the Mbabane Magistrates Court, Principal Magistrate Sfiso Vilakati ordered that the three men remain in custody until their next hearing on July 10, 2026. This remand period allows prosecutors to prepare for the transfer of the case to the High Court, which has jurisdiction over serious criminal offences such as murder under Eswatini’s legal system. The case has sparked public discourse across the kingdom, with many closely following developments. Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland until King Mswati III officially changed the country’s name in 2018, is a landlocked nation bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. Under the country’s judicial framework, magistrates’ courts handle preliminary hearings before serious charges are escalated to the High Court for trial. The case against the three brothers is expected to follow this established legal procedure.