‘COURTS NO LONGER SERVE PURPOSE’

NGABEZWENI - Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Prince Simelane says courts no longer serve their purpose as expected by society.

Speaking in his capacity as Umbhekeli Wemakhosi at Ngabezweni Royal Residence yesterday, Prince Simelane said courts continued to grant bail to people who were accused of committing serious crimes, such as murder. He said most surprisingly, to society was that some were released on bail, even if there was evidence that they committed a similar offence.
“Courts were established to bring harmony and restore peace among people, but they no longer serve that purpose. They grant bails, even to repeat offenders, making them proud of their evil deeds in society,” Prince Simelane said.

Offender

He made an example about an incident where, he said, he learnt that a repeat offender was released on bail three times and continued to kill. The minister also made an example about a woman who was reportedly stabbed 22 times by her boyfriend.  He stated that it was reported that the boyfriend removed his lover’s eyes, while she was still alive, before he slit her throat open in Nhlangano. He said what surprised emaSwati was that the man was granted bail, despite overwhelming evidence against him. The minister wondered where violence among emaSwati emanated from. He said it was shocking to  learn that some men used bush knives, spears and axes against women. He said emaSwati were also surprised that courts continued to release offenders on bail, despite efforts by the prosecution and the police to oppose the applications.

The minister said another contributing factor was the lack of stiffer sentences that could serve as a different to perpetrators and other would-be offenders. The prince said he believed that harsher sentences could be the only way to deter people from committing crimes. “Udvwala kabi umuntfu angatfola ibheyili. Uhamba ubuta labamubophile kutsi bebentani,” he said loosely translated to mean: “A person becomes so proud and arrogant once released on bail.” He said the conduct of perpetrators, after their release, was the root cause of mob justice, because people opted to taking the law into their own hands.

He said the continued killing of women, as reported by the media on daily basis, had resulted in some women preferring lions than men as they saw them as killers. Prince Simelane said it was his prayer that Jesus stayed with Eswatini during the difficult times, as he stayed with the two men who were joined by Jesus while on their way to Emmaus, after His resurrection.
On another note, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini emphasised on the prayer, saying: “God stay with us for the day has far spent.” Worth noting is that the prince criticised courts at the time when senators had called for sexual and domestic violence offences to be non-bailable, following the persistent killings. Also, the Queen Mother registered her concern over the continued killings in the country and urged church leaders to preach the truth, so that it would reach out to all emaSwati and end violence.

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