LAWYER IN PLACE OF SAFETY AFTER SHOOTING

MBABANE – Human Rights Lawyer Maxwell Nkambule, who survived an attempted assassination, has gone to a place of safety outside the country.

In an interview with this publication yesterday, Nkambule said, following the shooting incident in broad daylight last Wednesday, he had left the country for safety reasons.
He did not reveal his whereabouts but insisted that he was safe and comfortable wherever he was. Nkambule said it had sunk in his head how close he was to death and he was taking it one day at a time. The human rights lawyer told this publication that he was aware that the people who were behind his attack were still following him. Nkambule appreciated those who assisted him as he received help from both his local and international networks. He assured all those who were genuinely concerned about his safety that indeed he was safe.

Terrorism

Nkambule said he would come back to do what he was trained for and did not think that any of his matters would be affected by his absence. He stated that he would continue facing them until the end as he still believed that the attack was linked to his work as a legal representative of a number of people, who faced charges under the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2018.
He emphasised that he would come back and handle those matters and even new ones that may arise. In a previous interview, on the day of the incident, Nkambule said no form or amount of intimidation would sway him from doing his job. The lawyer warned other lawyers like him to be very careful as they may be a target as well. “We have to be careful now because we don’t know when and how they are going to hit,” said Nkambule.

He said his attack was an eye-opener to everyone, especially human rights lawyers. One of the cases in which Nkambule is appearing is that of the three men, who are alleged to have killed members of the State security forces. The accused in this matter are Ncamiso Mabuyakhulu, who is a member of the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), Philani Sihlongonyane, a member of the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) and their co-accused, German Robert Dlamini, whose political home is uncertain. They are facing 29 counts under the Suppression of Terrorism Act. Nkambule’s other clients are the two men who were arrested after being found with explosives and army uniform. He also represents the three men who are accused of burning the Ngudzeni Inkhundla building. These are Bongani Goodman Mamba, Bongumusa Kenneth Kunene and Sibongiseni Hoshoba Shongwe. The Law Society of Swaziland (LSS) expressed its concern about the reports of the alleged attempt to take Nkambule’s life.

Intimidation

LSS Secretary General Charity Simelane said the law society strongly condemned such villainous acts against an attorney whose right was to practise law freely and independent of any intimidation or interference of any nature. Simelane stated that the independence of lawyers and the courts, and by extension judicial officers, was considered to be one of the cornerstones and bedrock of any society. She called upon all members of society, no matter the political persuasion or affiliation or otherwise, to respect these constitutional rights to legal representation by an attorney of his/ her choice and fundamentally the right of a lawyer to practise law freely, without fear or favour and the presumption of innocence of the client until proven guilty.

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