MBABANE: Mark P. Dillon, the Head of Information and Evidence Unit in the International Criminal Court(ICC) office of the Prosecutor wrote a letter to United Eswatini Diaspora’s Sabelo Dlamini acknowledging documents and a letter that forms part of a complaint against King Mswati to be investigated and charged for crimes against humanity.
Mswati, an absolute Monarch allegedly unleashed soldiers and the police to shoot and kill dozens of civilians during the recent pro-democracy protests.
“The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges receipt of your documents/letter. This communication has been duly entered in the Communication Register of the Office. We will give you consideration to this communication as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court” ,reads the letter in part signed by Mark Dillon.
The ICC Prosecutor Head of Communication mentioned that the acknowledgment letter does not mean an investigation has been opened, nor that an investigation will be opened adding that a decision will be taken.
“As soon as a decision is reached, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you with reasons for this decision”, read the letter from the ICC.
Eswatini Government Spokesperson Sabelo Dlamini had not responded to our questions at the time of compiling this report .
Reached for comments Bonginkhosi Dlamini who was speaking on behalf of United Eswatini Diaspora being one of the organizations that reported the alleged crimes against humanity said they wrote a letter and further provided evidence to the ICC adding that they hoped a decision would be taken to arrest the King to face the criminal charges.
“As Swazis living in South Africa under our organization known as United Eswatini Diaspora, together with other organizations, we reported the matter to the ICC after seeing our fellow Swazis being killed allegedly by Mswati. We are praying that the ICC will take a decision to conduct their own investigation and arrest the King. We know the wheel of justice might take sometime but we hope eventually, King Mswati must face the law”, he said.
A letter from the ICC