By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Themba Masuku, the former Deputy Prime Minister(DPM), might pay serious money to Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini and his Senior Advocate Myron Dewrance after losing Mswati’s Mpumalanga High Court case should the Eswatini Government or the King fail to pay.

This comes after the King and his eSwatini Government represented by the then Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku, took the editor to court demanding to be given seven(7) days before responding to questionnaires and that,the editor and this publication allegedly committed acts of terrorism by reporting about the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces(SISF).

The court dismissed the application with costs on Friday and, Themba Masuku,the former Deputy Prime Minister declined to comment about the matter.

On another note, editor said he will engage his legal team to see if the Swaziland News in its capacity as a South African registered media company, can sue the eSwatini Government for declaring it a terrorist entity without trial.

The editor said the advice from his legal team, will enable him to take an informed decision whether to drag the eSwatini Government to court or not depending on the prospects of success.

“I have read the judgement and the Acting Judge commented about this issue saying you cannot conclude that an individual or entity committed terrorism without trial. It was a blunder because they labelled a company registered in South Africa where there’s a rule of law, a terrorist entity because in eSwatini, you are labelled a terrorist without trial. I will seek legal advice if it’s a winnable case for the Swaziland News in its capacity as a company, to separately sue the Government over this proscription in South African courts.Eswatini Government has assets in South Africa including investments so it won’t be a problem to get the money. Alternatively, if they fail to pay, we can attach Government or Themba Masuku’s assets on the recently concluded Mpumalanga High Court case”, said the editor.