GOVT ROPES IN SA ADVOCATES

MBABANE – Government has engaged the services of two South African advocates to argue on its behalf during the appeal of the judgment on the Suppression of Terrorism Act.

The two advocates, who are both from Durban, are Greg Harpur and Allen Lamplough.
This was disclosed by government senior lawyer Vikinduku Manana after the state filed a condonation application for the late filing of the record of proceedings.

The first appellant in the matter is Prime Minister (PM) Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini.
In his affidavit, Manana stated that the record of proceedings ought to have been filed by November 23, 2016.
“The reason for the late filing is that the matter is complex and it involved four counsels (advocates) for the respondents and two counsels for appellants. Counsel came from as far as Cape Bar,” submitted Manana.

He further submitted that circulating and agreeing on contents of the record in terms of the rules had been laborious and winding.

Another excuse given by government was that the former AG Majahenkhaba Dlamini, debriefed the advocates and was personally seized with the matter on appeal.
Manana pointed out that the former attorney general had to read through all documents exchanged by the advocates in the trial court and they were quite voluminous.

The former AG, according to Manana, subsequently filed heads of argument before he was appointed to be a Supreme Court judge.
“The matter has since been seized with the acting attorney general who also has to start afresh and go through all documents to acquaint himself with the matter,” reads part of Manana’s affidavit.

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