Where is King Mswati? Contradicting reports on his whereabouts emerge

South African State broadcaster, SABC, on Monday, June 28 reported King Mswati III had fled eSwatini. [File, Standard]

The eSwatini Government has denied reports that its leader, King Mswati III, has fled the country following pro-democracy protests that rocked the southern Africa nation on Monday, June 28.

South African State broadcaster, SABC, reported that Mswati had left the country in unclear circumstances following the demonstrations.

The eSwatini Government now says the reports are “completely untrue and fake”.

Spokesperson Sabelo Dlamini told News 24 that a comprehensive official statement would be released later Tuesday.

The protests reportedly stemmed from the Government’s alleged attempt at muzzling pro-democracy champions.

A few days ago, the Monarchy and Government issued an order banning the delivery of petitions that called for democratic reforms, Swaziland News reported.

Trucks were torched and looted, local media reported.

The army was reportedly deployed to areas of unrest on Monday night to contain crowds that had embarked on destruction of both public and private property.

A video clip that is circulating on social media shows a burning truck near the eastern rural village of Phuzumoya, and protesters using lighting bonfires to barricade the roads.

Other video recordings showed protestors chanting outside a burning building, News 24 reported.

The rural town of Siphofaneni in central eSwatini was also affected by the protests, the Times of Swaziland reported.

The pro-democracy protests escalated after several college students marched to eSwatini's Parliament to demand justice for a young man alleged to have been killed by police.

Thabani Nkomonye's body was found on a field in Nhlambeni, about 10 kilometres outside eSwatini’s largest urban centre, Manzini City, on May 14, News 24 reported.

Colani Khulekani Maseko, the president of the Swaziland National Students' Union, previously said they were demanding the end of police brutality and a multi-party democracy “in which the police are accountable to the people and not only to the king”.