Swazi king takes yet more wives and pits himself against the courts.The recent abduction Abduction Balfour, David expecting inheritance, kidnapped by uncle. [Br. Lit.: Kidnapped] Bertram, Henry kidnapped at age five; taken from Scotland. [Br. Lit. of three schoolgirls chosen as prospective wives by King Mswati III has pitted the highest judges of Swaziland against the royal family. The saga began when palace aides abducted abducted Distal angulation of an extremity away from the midline of the body in a transverse plane and away from a sagittal plane passing through the proximal aspect of the foot or part, or away from some other specified reference point three schoolgirls from their homes or schools following their selection by the king at the traditional reed dance held in September. The girls were taken to a royal residence for traditional rituals designed to screen their suitability as new wives of the 34-year-old king, who already has nine wives. One of the girls was found to be inappropriate for queenly queen·ly adj. queen·li·er, queen·li·est 1. Having the status or rank of queen. 2. Of, resembling, or befitting a queen; majestic and regal. adv. In a royal way; regally. status and was given to a 60-year-old chief to be his fourth wife. Bending the rules of custom, the king officially made another of the girls his fiancee before the traditional rituals were over, thereby preempting the outcome a court application by the mother of the girl to have her daughter returned home. At the same time the king sent the police commissioner, army commander and prisons chief to the court to communicate his orders for the dropping of the abduction case. Together with the Attorney General they threatened the judges in their chambers. The Chief Justice and the Director of prosecutions responded by charging the Attorney General with sedition sedition (sĭdĭ`shən), in law, acts or words tending to upset the authority of a government. The scope of the offense was broad in early common law, which even permitted prosecution for a remark insulting to the king. and obstruction of justice A criminal offense that involves interference, through words or actions, with the proper operations of a court or officers of the court. The integrity of the judicial system depends on the participants' acting honestly and without fear of reprisals. . While the Attorney General refused to appear in court, government advertised the positions of the two top judges, a clear demonstration that their days in office are numbered. Human rights groups have accused the royal family of violating the human rights of the three abducted girls, including their right to education, to liberty and security, and to a free and consensual marriage. They also defended the right of Lindiwe Dlamini to challenge the abduction of her daughter in court, and stated that it was time that culture was practised in accordance with fundamental human rights. In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , Lindiwe Dlamini was fined a cow for 'allowing' her daughter's engagement in a period of national chastity Chastity See also Modesty, Purity, Virginity. Agnes, St. virgin saint and martyr. [Christian Hagiog.: Brewster, 76] Artemis (Rom. Diana) moon goddess; virgin huntress. [Gk. Myth. among all childless Swazi women in an attempt to combat the spread of Aids. Ironically, this 5-year-period of chastity. was ordered last year by King Mswati III himself, only to broken when he took a 17-year-old girl as his ninth wife last November. Sources: The Namibian, Mall and Guardian |
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