Times Of Swaziland: GOVT HAS NEVER CONSIDERED  THULANI A PERSON OF INTEREST –ALPHEOUS

GOVT HAS NEVER CONSIDERED  THULANI A PERSON OF INTEREST –ALPHEOUS
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Phiwase Phungwayo on 23/01/2023 08:51:00


MANZINI – Government says it has never considered slain Human Rights Lawyer
Thulani Maseko as a person of interest.
Through Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo, it said the late Maseko was
not a person of interest to government because he was a peaceful man who
believed in negotiations and engagements, save for his contrasting political
views. Nxumalo said this during a press briefing at The George Hotel in Manzini
yesterday.
Prominent
He alluded to that government woke up to the news of the sad passing of the
human rights lawyer, who was prominent for being a human rights activist. The
government spokesperson shared that Maseko was known for being a member of a
review commission known as Atibuye Emasisweni, an organisation that advocated
for the welfare of farm dwellers. “Although his school of thought was of
multiparty democracy, he was never a person of special interest to government,
because he was a man, who even with clashing political views, never believed in
violence but the clashing of ideas and mindsets,” Nxumalo quipped. As a
result, the government spokesperson highlighted that government had never
regarded him as a disruptive person in the land, but one who put his divergent
views on the table and life moved on.
Criminal
When further queried to clarify on who government’s people of special interest
were, Nxumalo said this was an international term that referred to people who
were wanted by the State, suspected to have committed a criminal offence. Again,
he was queried who these people specifically were. The government spokesperson
maintained that the briefing was not meant to discuss about people who were of
special interest to government. He said the question was nonsensical. Sanction
Scanner describes special interest persons as people involved in a crime, and
any suspicious activity. They may be involved in court proceedings, have a
previous criminal allegation, or have previously been involved in financial
crimes such as money laundering and terrorist financing.
Meanwhile, according to Nxumalo, government had been informed by law enforcers
that human rights lawyer Maseko was attacked at his home. “We have not reached
the bottom of the matter, as to getting details on the circumstances that have
led to Maseko’s killing, his killers and what provoked them, let alone where
they came from,” he said. Nonethelesss, Nxumalo stated that the country’s
security forces had assured government that they were already at work looking
for the killers, and they would not rest until they were brought to book. This,
he said, would be done the same way some of the gun-toting individuals had been
rounded up in recent weeks. He urged the public to alert the police if they had
any information that may help in the apprehension of the criminals.
On another note, the government spokesperson expressed government’s
condolences to the family, friends, relatives and colleagues of the human rights
lawyer. “Lawyer Thulani Maseko’s demise is a loss to the nation and his
footprints as a human rights lawyer are there as proof of his contribution to
the country. He will surely be missed,” he sympathised. Meanwhile, Nxumalo
stated that the country was faced with attacks from unknown thugs. Having said
this, he noted and condemned acts of when such happened, there were people who
qualified themselves as seers who knew about happenings and pointed fingers on
the culprits. “Government has noted this and has said it before. This is seen
happening on social media,” he said.
Nxumalo likened social media to drugs. He said once a person logged online and
disseminated a certain narrative, another received it and eventually the rest
followed suit. The government spin doctor mentioned that those people’s
reasoning was monopolised by one person, who spread false accusations.
Condemn
“As government, we condemn and refute these allegations. They are nowhere near
the truth. It is a norm for this renowned person who resides in South Africa,
that each time an incident similar to such happens, he is the first to know,”
he said. Nxumalo said emaSwati should question where these people got their
‘machines’ to predict who had done what and how. He said this certain
individual knew as soon as these events happened. He said emaSwati should not
allow this to brainwash them as this also compromised investigations.
“Government once again takes this opportunity to condemn the ruthless killing
of civilians. This will include the recent murder of an army officer at Bulembu
Camp, and all other previous killings of innocent civilians in the recent
past,” he criticised.
He further warned against speculations and insinuations peddled particularly on
social media platforms in instances like these. “Again, government distinctly
disassociates itself and the country’s authorities from these heinous acts.
Such speculations are dangerous as they hamper investigations and take the
attention away from the real criminals,” Nxumalo reiterated.
The government spokesperson urged the entire nation to be with the Maseko family
in prayer during this sad period.