MBABANE: Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini has paid seventy thousand Rands(R70,000.00) legal costs to King Mswati’s Advocates.
The payment was made on Wednesday afternoon in a matter between the King, his Government and the Swaziland News.
The Advocates had forwarded a bill amounting to sixty-six thousand, seven hundred and six-three Rands, fifty-four cents(R66,763.54),however,the editor paid R70,000.00 to cover interest.
“We paid the R70,000.00 and the King’s lawyers will correspond with our legal team if there are refunds to be paid back to us.We will hear from our legal team if there are further payments to be made in this matter,”said the editor.
The editor thanked international partners funding the Swaziland News in defense of media freedom for their assistance in this matter,he vowed to continue defending journalism.
On another note,the King and his Government previously paid one and twenty thousand Rands(R120,000.00) as security of costs demanded by the editor and his legal team.
The King and eSwatini Government took the editor to court demanding to be given ten(10)days to respond to questionnaires, the editor is vigorously opposing the application on the grounds that an online publication cannot wait for ten(10) days before publishing.
In his court papers,the editor highlighted that members of the public deserve ‘fresh’ news, he accused the King and the Government of trying to systematically censor this Swaziland News.
Swaziland News proof of payment.