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THULANI SHOOTING: LSS CALLS FOR SWIFT JUSTICE

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MBABANE – “The circumstances of Thulani’s death require a speedy and thorough investigation which must unearth the truth and lead to accountability to those involved.”

This was said by the Law Society of Swaziland (LSS) in  a statement on the death of astute Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko, who was murdered execution-style on Saturday night.  In the statement, the Law Society said it learnt with profound sadness the cowardly killing of their member, colleague and human rights lawyer. The Law Society further mentioned that it strongly condemned the killing of their colleague in the strongest possible terms. “Mr Maseko was a man who strongly believed in dialogue and engagement in the pursuit of human rights and legal activism founded upon the rights of emaSwati as enshrined in the Constitution. Not once did Maseko advocate for violence. He strongly believed in the Rule of Law and the role of the courts to interpret the Constitution in the enforcement of those rights,” said the LSS.

Irony

The lawyer’s body went on to state that it was completely saddened by Maseko’s passing and viewed his death as a tragic irony which had left a huge void as he left big shoes to fill in the profession, being a pioneer of his field. “We take this opportunity to convey our sincerest condolences to his wife, children and family. May God given them strength and fortitude during this difficult time,” reads part of the statement by the Law Society. Meanwhile, after learning of his death a number of lawyer took to social media to express their condolences on the demise of Maseko, who they described as a walking dictionary when it came to matters touching on human rights. Some asserted that although he was a senior lawyer, he was a humble person who was willing to teach young lawyers. He was known for his line ‘mneftu’ every time he engaged in a conversation or when greeted by someone. Maseko was known for his strong stance when it came to matters touching on politics.  

Cases

During his lifetime, he handled a number of high profile cases, which included the one of the two incarcerated Members of Parliament (MPs), Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, when they filed their first application for bail.  He also represented some of the people in the chieftaincy dispute in his home area. Maseko was also representing the association which is seeking to register for purposes of promoting rights of the LGBTQI community in the country.  He was once the secretary general of the LSS. Maseko was one of the respondents in the matter where the Suppression of Terrorism Act is being challenged. He was born at KaLuhleko, near Bhunya in the Manzini Region.  On March 18, 2014, he was jailed for contempt of court after criticising the judicial system.

In August 2014, Maseko wrote to the then US President, Barack Obama, from prison, seeking his intervention ahead of the 2014 United States – Africa Leaders’ Summit. He was released from prison on July 30, 2015. He had been declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.

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