**Updates IFEX alerts of 12 July 2000, 27, 22, 21 and 17 September 1999** (MISA/IFEX) – Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lincolin Ngarua has withdrawn charges of criminal defamation against journalist Bheki Makhubu. Makhubu, who is currently editor of “The Nation” newspaper, was charged last year, shortly after being dismissed as editor of the “Times […]
**Updates IFEX alerts of 12 July 2000, 27, 22, 21 and 17 September 1999**
(MISA/IFEX) – Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lincolin Ngarua has withdrawn charges of criminal defamation against journalist Bheki Makhubu. Makhubu, who is currently editor of “The Nation” newspaper, was charged last year, shortly after being dismissed as editor of the “Times Sunday”. He told MISA that the DPP informed him and his lawyer separately about the dropping of charges. The case was due to come before the court on 28 August 2000.
BACKGROUND:
Makhubu was charged last year with two counts of “publishing defamatory libel”, stemming from articles which appeared in the 19 and 12 September 1999 editions of the “Times Sunday”. Both articles referred to the then-bride-to-be of King Mswati II as a high school dropout.
