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MBABANE- “Although life is not easy in prison, I was able to learn something from the different people I met and lived with thereat.”

These were the words of convicted former 1gwempisi Member of 3arliament M3), Mthandeni Dube, when he was being led in examination by his legal representative, Advocate Jacobus 9an 9uuren. He said in prison, there were people of different minds.

He made these assertions when he was asNed by 9an 9uuren to tell the court about his experience in prison.

He first told Judge Mumcy Dlamini that life in prison was not easy, but he managed to learn something from the different people he met and interacted with thereat. He did not disclose what he exactly learnt save to further mention that he did not wish to relive some of the things he experienced in prison.

Arrest

,t is common cause that during the early days of his arrest with former Hosea Mem ber of 3arliament M3), Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, there were allegations to the effect that they were being ill treated by some officers from His Majesty’s Correctional 6ervices HMC6). 6o serious was the situ ation that Mabuza had to seeN legal recourse against the commissioner general of HMC6, where he alleged that in one a instance he was paraded naNed.

This was, however, disputed by the com missioner general, who alleged that Mabuza was found with contraband. ,n his unsworn statement he made in court on :ednesday, the court your age?

I aP years old.

:hat is your highest qualification?

I have a 'iploPa in $ccounts and )inancing. :hat Pade you choose to EecoPe a 0ePEer oI 3arliaPent?

It was to help governPent to alleviate poverty and also serve people oI Py coPPunity.

:hen were

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you first elected? In 6eptePEer

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Mabuza submitted that, despite having been allegedly ill treated in prison, but notwithstanding this, he still believed the country needed political reforms, where people would be treated respectfully, have equal job opportunities in the economy, and where there would be no one without a job. Dube, on the other hand, when asNed about his experience in jail, was coy, save to state that prison life was not easy.

Dissociated

He further dissociated himself from Ma buza’s sentiments.

He stated that his continued stay in prison would see his family and dependents en gulfed in poverty.

Dube told the court that among his de pendents were two of his late brothers’

Is it correct that when you were arrested in , you were still a 0ePEer oI 3arliaPent?

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7ell the court aEout your e[perience in prison.

/iIe in prison is not easy Eut I was aEle to learn soPething IroP the different people I live with in prison. I, however, do not wish to relive soPe oI the things I e[perienced there, it is a very difficult thing. I do not wish to see Py child or relative going to that place.

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children, who were in tertiary. He told the court that one of his brother’s children was in primary school, while his daughter was doing high school.

The former M3 said two of his children were attending pre school.

The duo is expected bacN in court on March , , for submissions on the existence of extenuating factors or other wise, as well as submissions on mitigating factors. Legal representatives of both parties are expected to maNe oral submissions based on what each of the former legislators said in court last :ednesday and Thursday respectively. One of the factors would be to determine whether the accused persons had shown remorse for what happened leading to their conviction.