JOHANNESBURG, December 15 (ANA) – The AbaThembu royal family on Tuesday welcomed a Constitutional Court ruling dismissing king Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s appeal against his 12 year jail sentence.
“We believe that the decision of the Constitutional Court marks the end of the legal battles of Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo. It further indicates that Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo failed to clear his name in our courts,” said royal family spokesman Daludumo Mtirara.
“In our efforts of trying to move the kingdom of AbaThembu forward, the royal family invites the Ngangelizwe Royal Family to converge at the royal residence in Bumbane on Sunday, 27 December 2015 at 10h00 so that we can assess the current situation and move the kingdom forward through the application of custom.”
The Constitutional Court reportedly dismissed his appeal on December 2, paving the way for the outspoken Dalindyebo to go to jail.
The court, in dismissing Dalindyebo’s appeal, reportedly stated that there was no prospect of the case succeeding.
The crimes related to the disciplining of his subjects in 1995 and 1996. A high court convicted him of culpable homicide and sentenced him to fifteen years.
He appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeal, which set aside his culpable homicide conviction and replaced his fifteen year sentence with an effective 12 year prison sentence.
His last bid to stay out of jail for the crimes committed 20 years ago were unsuccessful in the Constitutional Court.
Mtirara said a second meeting of the greater Dlomo would take place on December 30, followed by the AbaThembu nation mass meeting set to take place on January 6 next year.
“We appeal to AbaThembu nation to remain calm and allow the custom to guide all the proceedings. The royal family intends to engage the victims who were abused by Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo once the situation has settled down,” he said.
– African News Agency (ANA)
