I WAS COMPELLED TO TESTIFY IN MPS’ CASE - MABHANISI

MATSAPHA- “I tried to avoid testifying but I was compelled by the law.”

Kwaluseni Member of Parliament (MP), Sibusiso Mabhanisi Dlamini, has come out to explain the reason behind being one of the 50 witnesses who were lined up by the Crown to testify in the criminal trial of incarcerated MPs Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza of Hosea and Mthandeni Dube of Ngwempisi. During an interview with the media at Mbhuleni yesterday, MP Dlamini stated that he would not dwell on the nitty-gritties of the matter, since it was in court.  

Testifying

He highlighted that he had never talked about the matter before, but he put it out that in his testimonies, there was nothing that incriminated, let alone was against the arrested MPs. Dlamini said he was there to testify about an incident that happened at his constituency centre. He recorded a statement at the Matsapha Police Station on June 17, 2021 after 11am, and it went viral on social media. “Fellow emaSwati, I do not know how I found myself having to testify. We recorded a statement together with five constituency members,” Dlamini explained. He further shared that he was among the five constituency members; constituency councillors from Mhlane, Logoba and Kwaluseni, as well as his constituency developer, who all recorded statements with the police.

“How I was picked or chosen from the five to testify, I also don’t know. And I tried to avoid it. This issue came to me in November last year. I explored all options on how to avoid it and I was told that this was a State issue and if I did not comply, I would be charged with contempt,” he further alluded. The MP elaborated that he was also informed that the consequences in the event he defied the court, would involve a jail term of not less than six months, where he would be subjected to hard labour. MP Dlamini expressed that as a noble citizen and legislator, there was no way he could be defiant when he had been selected to testify. He reiterated that people should understand that he did not choose to testify. He mentioned that he also did not know the criteria that had been used to select him.

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