Swaziland: Swazi Judge Refuses Suspension

Swazi Media Commentary (Swaziland)

1 July 2011

In a provocative move Swaziland High Court Judge Thomas Masuku has “refused” to be suspended.

(Swazi high court judge Thomas Masuku was reportedly charged with insulting King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch, for a ruling that referred to him as “forked-tongued”.)

He was told by Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi on Wednesday (29 June 2011) that he could no longer sit as a judge pending an investigation into a number of allegations about his conduct.

But yesterday, for Judge Masuku it was business as usual. He sat in court and heard case as normal.

We must now wait and see how Chief Justice Ramodibedi responds. If Judge Masuku refuses to stop work what can the CJ do? Should we expect armed security officers at the Swazi High Court t arrest and jail Judge Masuku for “contempt of court”?

Or maybe, that’s contempt for CJ Michael Ramodibedi.

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