EXTORTION CLAIMS: TIMES TO ACT

MBABANE - Following the extortion accusations levelled against a Times of Eswatini journalist, the Managing Editor (ME), Martin Dlamini, says the company will leave no stone unturned in establishing the truth.

Dlamini said they will work with the evidence presented to get to the bottom of the matter, since these allegations are highly defamatory to the institutions that have been cited. The ME had urged Swaziland News not to protect crooked journalists. Now that the Swaziland News Editor has revealed the name of the reporter allegedly implicated in the extortion, The ME assured the public that an internal probe has been launched and if it is found that these allegations are indeed true, necessary action will be taken in line with the company’s Anti-Corruption and Integrity Policy, as well as the Journalists Code of Ethics that all staff must adhere to at all times.

Necessary

The ME further urged the public to contact their Ombudsman Office on 7682 3750 if they do have reports of such taking place, so that necessary action can be taken. He went on to state that measures have been taken to ensure that members of the public identify journalists from the Times of Eswatini by their identification card. “If approached by one claiming to be a reporter, without such proof of identification, they should not hesitate to call the Ombudsman Office or the Managing Editor’s Office,” Dlamini said. Meanwhile, Swaziland News Editor, Zweli Dlamini, said he regards the ME’s request as a commitment to fighting corruption and protecting the name of the Times brand, including the good name of the media, saying it is highly commendable.

Zweli also urged members of the public who may have experienced extortion from journalists to report to the police, the management of that newspaper, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) or other newspapers. “It’s important to protect the good name of the media from such criminal elements, because not all journalists are extortionists,” Zweli said.

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