The
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in Swaziland / eSwatini Pholile Shakantu said
the kingdom was not ready to use the death penalty, even though it remained lawful
to do so.
Shakantu was speaking at a portfolio committee at the
Swaziland Senate.
There has been confusion over
the use of the death penalty for many year. Section 15 of the Swaziland Constitution
that came into effect in 2006 allows for the death penalty but states it is not
be mandatory. The last execution in Swaziland was in 1983.
In 2016 Swaziland voted at
the United Nations on a global suspension of executions but made no attempt
back home to ban the death penalty.
The
Swazi Observer reported on
Monday (11 March 2019) that Shakantu, speaking at the Swazi Senate, said the
kingdom did not embrace the death penalty in practice.
Shakantu said the kingdom had
not made any move towards abolition as it was up to Parliament to amend laws that
included the death penalty.
As recently as 2012 an
advert was placed in local media seeking a hangman. No suitable applications
were received, the then Minister of Justice and Constitutional
Affairs Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze told parliament.
There are believed to be at
least three people on ‘death row’ in jail awaiting execution, including David Simelane
who was convicted in 2011 of killing 28 women.
See also
Swazi
killer sentenced to hang
Swaziland
wants to appoint hangman
Death
penalty test for human rights
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