Basil Thwala guilty

MANZINI-Swaziland Transport and Allied Workers Union’s (STAWU) Basil Thwala will spend one year in prison after he was found guilty of uttering words which were an incitement of public violence.

The final part of the trial which lasted for almost an hour saw a taxi driver leading evidence yesterday and about 30 police officers were at the Magistrates Court for security reasons.

A few STAWU members were also spotted during the trial and Thwala’s family members, including his wife, were present.

Thwala was found guilty of three offences committed on July 17, 2012.

During mitigation he pleaded for leniency and told the court that he was a married man who had a two-year-old child.

In the charge of contravening the Road Traffic Act, by placing stones, guard rails and other objects on the road, disturbing the free movement of traffic on the day, Thwala was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of E800 fine.

In the charge of conducting himself in a manner likely to constitute a source of danger to himself and other road users, by loitering in the middle of the public road while he was a pedestrian, he was also sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of E800 fine.

In the third charge of uttering words and acting in a manner in which under the prevailing circumstances constituted an incitement of public violence, he was sentenced to one year imprisonment without an option of a fine.

After the sentence was passed, Thwala stood up and had his fingerprints taken before he was led to the temporary cells at the Magistrates Court.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Your website:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: