By Zweli Martin Dlamini

In journalism,a reputation or credibility remains the basic foundation that enhance public trust on the disseminated information, the same applies to Judges and/or officers of the courts.

Judge Titus Mlangeni can quote sections of the law or use complicated legal terms, to justify why he believes businessman and Big Tree Complex owner Issufomia Issufo Calu,the Director of Ncamase Investments (Pty) Ltd must be sent back to prison on contempt of court charges.

But even before we read the judgement, we must first consider the credibility of the Honorable Judge and if he is prepared to protect it.

So I would advise His Lordship to protect his integrity and credibility and recuse himself from the matter between Galp Eswatini and Big Tree Complex,Mlangeni is one of the few brilliant Judges and therefore, he must not allow this matter to be concluded with his reputation slowly being buried.

Indeed, once it becomes publicly obvious that as a Judge, you are compromised and you might be acting with an indirect interest in a matter, you must just prove those accusing you of alleged misconduct by recusing yourself in the matter, being a Judge is a very sensitive position and the integrity of Judges should be beyond reproach.

Judge Titus Mlangeni sentenced Calu to ninety(90) days in prison for alleged contempt of court, he is now busy trying to justify why Calu must be sent back to prison.

Even before we blame Commissioner General Phindile Dlamini of the Correctional Services and Attorney General(AG) Sifiso Khumalo why they released Calu, we need to first understand if the Judge was fair and acted in the interest of justice in the first place.

We wouldn’t mind to see Calu back in prison if he intentionally undermined a court order but Judge Mlangeni is literally off-side by suggesting that, court orders must be respected even when believed to be wrong.

Well, he might be right that court orders must be respected because the courts have structures to appeal should anyone feel a Judge erred but, such sentiments from him might be perceived as an attempt to justify his alleged wrongdoing.

The same sentiments could sound different or correct when uttered by another Judge working on the same matter but, coming from the same Judge who stands accused of committing a blunder, creates a completely different ‘music’ from the same keyboard.

In my view, Judge Titus Mlangeni is correct to suggests that court orders must be respected even when believed to be wrong because whether the Honorable Judge is wrong or right, like beauty, such observation might be found in the eyes of the beholder.

Indeed,I might conclude that, Judge Mlangeni is wrong but, someone else might hold a completely different view on the same matter, criticizing a Judge is part of freedom of expression or opinion but must be done constructively.

But where facts, on a balance of probabilities, are available or brought before the Honorable Judge justifying or requesting a recusal, any credible Judge should not be pressured to do so, it must be a voluntary decision in terms of the judicial code of conduct.