MBABANE:King Mswati allegedly refused to sign a confirmatory affidavit in the Mpumalanga High Court case against Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini fearing that, “his name will be dragged into controversy in the event the court rules against him”.
But royal insiders told this publication that, Attorney General (AG) Sifiso Khumalo allegedly promised the King that, it’s a “winnable case” as the editor was on the run and that, he won’t have money to pay lawyers and Advocates.
“The AG told the King that, the editor won’t have money to pay lawyers and Advocates and while the case was pending before the court, he then facilitated the terrorism proscription in an attempt to discourage donors and ensure that the editor does not have money for legal fees, all that did not work. The first story in the Times of Eswatini was written under the headline “King takes on Zwemart, hires South African lawyers”. But the newspaper was later stopped from involving the name of the King in the matter hence the Times and Observer used Eswatini Government to try and protect King from embarrassment after the AG lost the case,” said the royal insider.
King Mswati and the Eswatini Government lost the case with costs at the Mpumalanga High Court, the King his Government was demanding to be given ten (10) days before responding to questionnaires but the editor refused saying doing so will delay the dissemination of news.
Senior South African Advocate Myron Dewrance who is representing the editor and this Swaziland News has, through lawyer Godrich Gardee contacted the King’s lawyers and expressed readiness to continue with the appeal filed by the Eswatini Government early next year.
The costs due to the editor and his legal team might increase should the court dismiss the King and his Government’s application for leave to appeal.
King Mswati (pic: Babukisi Foundation).