Africa-Press – Eswatini. Former Members of Parliament, Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, said they were unapologetic about the events that led to them being arrested and convicted.
They said they stand by their words.
The former legislators, who yesterday appeared in court for mitigation before sentencing, said they still held steadfast in what they believed in even to this moment.
Mabuza said he strongly believed that he had been chosen by God to be in this situation and he did not regret speaking on behalf of the nation.
“If there is one big mistake I can make is to say I regret speaking out on behalf of Emaswati. But what remains is that no matter what they can do or say whatever lies, they will eventually turn against each other and the truth will remain unchanged,” said Mabuza.
The former MPs addressed their families and supporters on the sidelines before the matter was postponed to February 20 for mitigation and again to March 6 for filing of heads of argument by the defence and the Crown on March 11.
It will thereafter resume on March 13 for oral submissions.
The matter was postponed at the request of the defence as Advocate Jacobus van Vuuren, who has been instructed by Ben Simelane, was indisposed.
The Crown is represented by Advocate Gareth Lepan sitting with Senior Crown Counsels Macebo Nxumalo and Thabo Dlamini.
The judge stated that the decision was taken after having met counsels in chambers, where a postponement was sought on behalf of the defence, the reason being that senior counsel was not available as he was indisposed.
Convicted
Almost two years after being arrested, they were convicted after being found guilty of murder and inciting violence during the 2021 unrest.
Mabuza was acquitted on the charge of breaching COVID-19 regulations, which he was accused of committing during a community meeting attended by about 2 000 people at Hosea Inkhundla in June 2021.
The murder charge emanated from the death of two men who were run over by a vehicle from the Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accidents Fund (SMVAF) that hit seven people at Nkwalini at an illegal ‘roadblock’ where some residents stopped vehicles demanding money.
Mabuza said it was important that a person always stands by what he believed in.
He further said he learnt of the submissions made during the recently concluded People’s Parliament.
“Even though speakers were only given three minutes, I am glad that the people did speak out on what we were saying.
Emaswati have spoken and we all heard their submissions but some of these were not captured in the report,” he stated.
They said they still held the view that the nation dreamt of a situation where the institution of the monarch was elevated above the day-to-day government politics and that none of them called for the removal of the monarch.
“What we are saying is that people want to elect their own government. We are saying government should not interfere with the monarch. The monarch should not be involved in government politics,” he further said.
The former MP said it was a fact that life was hard when one was separated from his family, not having your own life and to be under the situation they were in.
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