Former Minister of Public Works and Transport Ntuthuko Dlamini has been sentenced to sixty-five(65)years in prison for murder and illegal possession of a firearm.
Dlamini,the once powerful politician was sentenced by Judge Maxine LaNgwenya on Wednesday. He climbed the political ladder in the 90s and was vocal in Parliament with the likes of the then appointed Member of Parliament(MP)Sandlane Zwane,Mfomfo Nkambule and the late Majahebutimba Dlamini who was elected by residents of Lobamba Lomdzala.
Dlamini is a member of the ruling royal household at Lamgabhi-eBhunya,his influence within the area was not only enhanced by his vibrancy in politics but the royal blood.
With the likes of Sandlane Zwane, Nthuthuko,the then Lamgabhi MP gave former Prime Minister(PM)Barnabas Dlamini a headache in Parliament,at some point,they stopped the purchasing of a private jet for Mswati.
Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini later became unpopular and was subsequently fired through a Short Message Service(SMS)by the then powerful Attorney General(AG) Prince Phesheya Dlamini who was acting on an instruction from King Mswati.
But Ntuthuko later became a beneficiary of a plot by the Tinkhundla regime to castrate and or weaken Parliament.
After his re-election in 2008,he was appointed the Minister of Public Works and Transport in what appeared as a strategy by PM Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini to bring some of his political enemies more closer.
Ntuthuko then became more powerful but he subsequently lost elections in his Constituency and thereafter,he ventured into business within the Small and Business Enterprise(SME).
Dlamini’s downfall was caused by his failure to control emotions,he shot and killed members of Luyengweni Inner Council(Bandlancane)who were not armed and were literally not a threat to him.
On Wednesday,Judge Maxine LaNgwenya sentenced Dlamini to sixty-five(65) years in prison and this officially mark the end of his political career.
Elections laws in eSwatini suggest that a convict can stand for elections after ten(10) years upon finishing his sentence.
This means if Dlamini who is in his 50s, gets more than twenty years in prison,he will might be eligible to stand for elections when he reaches eighty(80)years.
It’s the sad ending of a once vocal and intelligent MP who later became a puppet of oppressive Tinkhundla system of governance.
But anything is possible with the current regime,Ntuthuko might get a royal pardon within the next few years if members of the LaMgabhi royal household can approach Mswati and present a reasonable number of cattle.
Former Minister Ntuthuko Dlamini being transported to prison after sentencing.