PUDEMO MAN HELD FOR ‘ARREST KING’ DOCUMENT

 MBABANE – The senior member of the proscribed People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) who was found in possession of a document that challenges His Majesty King Mswati III’s powers and calls for his (King’s) arrest, has been arrested.

Goodwill Sibiya, who also claims to be the founding member of the relatively unknown Economic Freedom Guerillas, has been slapped with two charges.
He is facing charges of contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act and the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act.

It is alleged that on January 21, 2019, the accused attested to an affidavit with the intention to bring hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against His Majesty King Mswati III. This is the same document he attempted to file at the High Court on May 21, 2019, but was stopped on his tracks by the staff members, who then informed the police.

Treason

The contents of the founding affidavit cannot be repeated in this publication, because of their sensitive nature which borders on treason.
Besides the police stamp, the documents also bear the stamps of the Attorney General’s office as well as the registrar of the High Court.

On the same date (January 21, 2019), near Nhlangano, Sibiya is alleged to have unlawfully professed to be a member of terrorists groups; PUDEMO, Communist Party of Swaziland and the founding member of Economic Freedom Guerillas. By so doing, he, alleged to have contravened Section 19(1) of the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008.

In the summary of evidence that was presented to Sibiya yesterday, Nhlangano Police Station Desk Officer, Sydwell Mthembu, narrated how the accused was arrested.

He stated that he received information that Sibiya of Nkofeni had some documents in his house that brought hatred to and excite disaffection against the King.
Mthembu said he then applied for a search warrant and an order to take any seditious documents.  He pointed out that the warrant was issued on May 24, 2019 and execute the same day. He submitted that at about 10:30am hours they proceeded to Nkofeni with other police officers and they found Sibiya along the way to his home.

“We introduced ourselves as police officers and we also showed him the search warrant,” said Mthembu.
According to Mthembu, when they asked Sibiya to get into the car so that they could proceed to his homestead, he allegedly refused and became violent. He said they tried to reason with him and further told him that the documents belonged to the court.

Mthembu informed the court that Sibiya eventually boarded the motor vehicle and they went to Nhlangano to meet another team from Mbabane Tingculungculu for other logistics before they could search Sibiya’s homestead.

Mthembu asserted that they all proceeded to Nkofeni area and when they arrived there, they found Sibiya’s mother and they explained their mission to her.  He highlighted that before they conducted the search, they asked Sibiya’s mother to be present but he (Sibiya) ordered her not to involve herself in the whole matter but he wanted his younger brother to be present as a witness of what would transpire.

Mthembu narrated that Sibiya’s brother was called on his mobile phone and eventually arrived at around 3:30pm.

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