By Phephile Motau
Members of Parliament Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi ‘Bacede’ Mabuza have been found guilty of contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act 2008 and two counts of murder.
Mabuza on the other hand was found not guilty and acquitted on a fourth count. The judgment was delivered by Justice Mumcy Dlamini yesterday during a court session that was scheduled to begin at 11 am but was delayed until 11.45 am.
On count one, the duo was facing a count of contravening Section 5(1) of the Suppression of Terrorism Act. Mabuza and Dube were on the first count, charged with contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act in that during the month of June 2021 in the four regions of the country, they did wrongfully and unlawfully, acting in furtherance of a common purpose with Mduduzi ‘Gawuzela’ Simelane, who is a fugitive of justice, commit a terrorist act by inciting the people of Eswatini to revolt against the constitutionally established government of Eswatini.
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The court further states that as a consequence of the incitement made by the said accused persons, there were riots in all the regions of the country which caused loss of life, bodily injuries, and destruction of private properties.
The two were also facing a first and second alternative to count one for contravening the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act of 1938, of which they were also found guilty. They were also facing two counts of murder for unlawfully and intentionally killing Siphosethu Mtshali and Thando Shongwe.
Mabuza was also charged with contravening Regulation 4 of the Disaster Management Covid-19 Regulations of 2020 under the Disaster Management Act of 2006 in that upon or about June 5, 2021, at or near Hosea in the Shiselweni region, the accused person did wrongfully and unlawfully fail to keep a register as required by the regulations for any gathering and sanitise participants in a gathering he had convened and thereby committed the said offence. Mabuza was acquitted and discharged on this count.
