SA man gets 85 years for Swaziland bomb



king swati
source:

http://www.news24.com



Swaziland High Court jailed a South African man for 85 years for high treason and terrorism over a botched bomb attack against King Mswati. 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.

 "Having found you guilty... I therefore sentence you to 85 years in prison and the sentence is to run concurrently and is back dated to the day you were arrested,"  Maphalala said. 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.  http://www.news24.com

• He will effectively serve 19 years as the sentences will run concurrently. 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, which sought to undermine elections that year until Swaziland allowed a multi-party vote.http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2012/09/18/anc-man-gets-85-years-for-mswati-bomb