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Amos Mbedzi in the dock. Photo: Times of Swaziland (http://www.times.co.sz)

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High Court Judge Bheki Maphalala last month found Amos Mbedzi guilty of planning to plant the bomb at a bridge of the Lozitha Royal Palace in the commercial hub Manzini in 2008.

The bomb was intended for Africa’s last absolute monarch, who was due to use the bridge the same night, but the bomb exploded prematurely in the car Mbedzi was travelling in.

Mbedzi survived with serious injuries while two others in the car were killed.

“Having found you guilty..., I therefore sentence you to 85 years in prison,” Maphalala said.

The judge sentenced him to 25 years in jail for each of the two killed in the car, 20 years for attempted murder and 15 years for sedition, but he added that the sentences will run concurrently and date to the day he was arrested.

In other words, he will serve the longest term of 25 years, less the six years he has already spent in detention since his arrest.

The judge also found Mbedzi had been part of the Umbane People’s Liberation Army, a secret militant group linked to the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), which sought to undermine elections that year until Swaziland allowed a multi-party vote.

Political parties were banned in 1973 and voters choose candidates approved by traditional leaders and the king.

A series of small bomb blasts rattled the country in 2008, with Umbane claiming responsibility for the attacks.

Following the botched attack, the state proscribed PUDEMO and several activists went into exile.

King Mswati III has faced increasing protests in the last few months as the kingdom weathers a severe economic crisis, partly blamed on his lavish lifestyle with his 13 wives.

Authorities have resisted increased demands for democratic reforms, the latest an almost eight-week long teachers’ strike which died down last month.

Mbedzi underwent training at Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, when it was still fighting the white minority regime under apartheid.

He is also a member of the South African Communist Party (SACP).

A South African-based Swaziland Solidarity Network condemned the sentence as “ludicrous” and a “complete miscarriage of justice”.

“We take this moment to renew our unwavering commitment to total liberation of the people of Swaziland from the unjust and undemocratic ... system and the autocracy of the royal family that continues to plunder the national economy and abuse cultural and political institutions,” the network said in a statement.

Comments

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Sat May 18 19:09:42 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 18, 2012

wearefamily

Give Moswati a life imprisonnment for human abuse, murder, stealing state money etc.
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Sep 18, 2012

RobinH

But the guy deserves a medal. The SA government should object and try to get him paroled at least. Make some efort, people. Pretend he's a female drug mule. Then you can send envoys and so on. Oh right, you actually support Mswati. I forgot.
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Sep 18, 2012

DA-DBN-GUY

This is what you get for meddling in another countries affairs. Pity it was the full sentence. Mswati is a dictator and despot agreed but its not up to SA to "take him out"
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Sep 18, 2012

swona

this Venda guy mara, why fight for the Swatis yet u own land back home in Venda?
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Sep 18, 2012

Honeybadger

swona
this Venda guy mara, why fight for the Swatis yet u own land back home in Venda?
+++++++++++++++++++++
It is called selflessness and bravery; something i see lacking in a lot of people today. If that was the attitude i wonder where would South Africa's democracy be today. Lets not base everyting on tribalism. I am very disappointed in your thinking my brother. What if the vendas turn around and say you have land in Mozambique so go back there?
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Sep 18, 2012

Lungu

If he was a foreigner here in SA he was going to get away with that kind of a crime, this proves how we South Africans get harsh sentences in other African countries unlike our own country were they let Nigerians to sell drugs, chinnes to run illegal gambling and sell fake clothes.
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Sep 18, 2012

|Sinudeity|

ANC dude a terrorist bomber?
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Sep 18, 2012

thabiso992000

he should have killed him and his wives taken by his Generals phela ba ka se kgone ka matswai, they are still young mos
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Sep 18, 2012

wearefamily

Sowetan the heading should read: South African man gets 85 years for Dictator Mswati bomb
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Sep 18, 2012

Pointman

This guy needs to be taught a lesson - let us send him to a bomb making factory in pakistan next time. They know how to do it right.
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