By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE:Josiah Matsebula, the highly regarded Judge who acquitted and released the late President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) Mario Masuku has died.

The Honorable Judge acquitted and released the PUDEMO President who was facing sedition charges in 2002 after concluding that he did not commit any crime.

The late Mario Masuku had uttered statements calling for the fall of King Mswati’s autocratic regime, political parties are banned in eSwatini.

Shortly after his release,Masuku addressed his supporters in Mbabane and the story attracted the international media including the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC), Swazi journalist Thulani Mthetwa reported for the BBC Focus on Africa about the release of the PUDEMO President.

Efforts to seek a comment from the Judge’s family proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Sunday, Brian Sangweni, the National Spokesperson of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said, it was sad to hear about the passing away of the Judge.

“We cannot only remember him as the judge who acquitted our founding president Cde Mario Masuku because Cde Mario was never found guilty in any of the charges that were laid against him throughout his being as a political figure and a leader of PUDEMO. Judge Matsebula is among the many men and women who either out of ethics or conscience couldn’t found the courage or angle to pin our former President on all the fabricated charges against him in his fight against Tinkhundla regime. We will remember him as a man who refused to bend to the extent of unreason-ability to please his employers. May his soul rest in peace and his family be comforted through these sad times”,said the PUDEMO National Spokesperson.