By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Sphephile Hlatjwako,the Assistant Registrar of the High Court,allegedly cried hysterically after being questioned by the police on alleged forged Judge Qinisile Mabuza’s divorce court order, saying she was just assisting a relative.

The Assistant Registrar allegedly assisted her relative and Royal Guard Nothando Temerica Dlamini-Fakudze to ‘unlawfully’ divorce her husband Mduduzi Fakudze, the Mahlangatja Indvuna YeNkhundla without any formal court application and/or through a forged court order.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Wednesday afternoon, Judge Qinisile Mabuza confirmed knowledge of the matter but asked not to comment further saying, the police advised her not to speak about it pending investigation.

“Police advised me not to speak about this matter pending investigations”, said the Judge.

It is alleged Manzini based lawyer Sibongnkhosi Jele discovered the alleged fraud when working on the matter on behalf of his client Mduduzi Fakudze, the lawyer subsequently approached Deputy Registrar of the High Court Khanyisile Masilela demanding answers.

Worth-noting, the Indvuna YeNkhundla approached his lawyers after discovering that, “he has been unlawfully divorced” through a highly questionable court order dated 11th December 2024.

Sphephile Hlatjwako, the Assistant High Court Registrar declined to comment about the matter.

But a senior judicial order very close to the matter told this publication that, “the matter is being vigorously”, investigated by the police and that, the Assistant Registrar was questioned.

“The husband’s lawyer approached Deputy Registrar Khanyisile Masilela demanding to know how the forged court order was issued. A search for the court file was conducted only to find that, there was never a file in the first place. Judge Mabuza was approached and she confirmed that, she never issued this order and, that was when Deputy Registrar Khanyisile Masilela decided to immediately call the police. This happened while Assistant Registrar Sphephile Hlatjwako who allegedly forged the court order was on leave, police went straight to her to question and record a statement. After being questioned by the police, she arrived at work and went to Supreme Court Registrar Banele Ngcamphalala crying hysterically, atsi ucela amumikise ku-Chief Justice ayotigicita ngoba vele ugangile kumonakalele, naye bekatsi usita sihlobo sakhe”, said a senior judicial officer who spoke to this Swaziland News.

Nothando Temerica Dlamini-Fakudze allegedly used the forged court order to divorce her husband after secretly marrying Jericho Priest Bandzile Mkoko.

Efforts to reach Jericho Priest Bandzile Mkoko proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

When this publication contacted the Royal Guard, she claimed, she was not in a place with a stable network, this was shortly after this journalist introduced himself and started the questioning regarding this matter.

“Mane ngatsi le-network ayibambi kahle”,she said after this journalist asked her to explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged forged court order.

Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati declined to comment about the matter.

Responding to this publication on the subject matter, Mduduzi Fakudze, the Mahlangatja Indvuna YeNkhundla said the matter “is being investigated by the police”, he also asked not to comment further pending investigations.

“The matter is being investigated by the police hence I can’t share further comments”, he said.

On another note, the Judiciary is facing escalating cases of forged court orders by alleged corrupt lawyers and other judicial employees, some of these fraudulent court documents are then used to steal eStates belonging to deceased wealthy men.

An independent investigation conducted by this publication uncovered that, this is done by fraudulently adding strangers as wives while cancelling the legitimate wives from the Home Affairs Government computer systems, resulting to legitimate wives being challenged in court by strangers who emerged from ‘nowhere’, claiming to be married to the deceased as well.