SEDITION SUSPECTS CRY FOUL OVER 4-YEAR WAIT FOR TRIAL

MBABANE –“We have waited for four years to have our day in court.”

This was one of the submissions by the 10 men of KoNtshingila who stand charged with sedition after questioning the whereabouts of the person Inkhosatana Gelane has been acting for in the past years.

Inkhosatana Gelane is the acting Chief of KoNtshingila
They have since taken the director of public prosecutions (DPP) to court where they are seeking an order compelling him and the registrar of the High Court to ensure that they were enrolled for trial during the third session of the High Court for the year 2018.

The applicants in this matter are, Mbongeni Simelane, Menzi Msoka, Nhlanhla Simelane, Julius Bhembe, Jerome Phumelelo Simelane, Mfanukhona Simelane, Sabelo Magwaza and Thulani Bhembe.

In his founding affidavit, Mbongeni, who is the first applicant in the matter, stated that in October 2013, they were arrested by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service stationed at Hlatikhulu Police Station.  He said they were subsequently charged with sedition.

According to Mbongeni, on October 11, 2013, they were admitted to bail by the High Court and their bail conditions were varied on October 16, 2013.
He alleged that on July 18, 2014, they attended to a pre-trial conference in the company of their attorney Sipho Gumedze.

The applicant submitted that, with the pre-trial conference having been held, they thought their case was to be enrolled accordingly.
“Our attorney has been persuading the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to ensure that our case was placed on the roll for trial,” alleged the applicants. Mbongeni highlighted that during the second session for the year 2017, they were called to appear before Judge Mbutfo Mamba. He averred that when they appeared in court, it transpired that the lawyer from the DPP’s office was in fact ready to deal with other matters not theirs.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: