In a case that has generated a lot of discussion in eSwatini, Dumsile Dludlu faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for allegedly listening in on her husband’s WhatsApp conversations.
Dludlu has been caught in violation of the country’s stringent Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act of 2022 after being accused of gaining unauthorized access to her husband’s account.
This law, which makes it illegal to gain unauthorized access to any computer system, has harsh consequences for violators, including fines of up to E500,000 (roughly R500,000) or up to five years in jail. The Act’s introduction has provoked heated debates in the nation of Southern Africa regarding digital rights and privacy.
After reading the messages, Dludlu acknowledged insulting her husband, Samukeliso Matse, but she entered a not guilty plea to the charge of unauthorized access when she appeared in the Mbabane Magistrates Court. “I did insult him,” Dludlu admitted to the court, “but it was not as severe as what is in the police statement.”
Concerns regarding the relationship between technology, privacy, and interpersonal relationships have grown as a result of the case. Dludlu’s trial was scheduled for March 10 after Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi granted her bail.
This case is the latest in a string of online disputes in eSwatini.
Nontsikelelo Lebohang Gina had previously been arrested for allegedly harassing a woman she believed to be having an affair with her husband in the past.
The woman’s name was allegedly posted in a Facebook group by Gina, who accused her of using traditional charms to dissolve marriages.
Another incident involved a woman who was arrested for allegedly recording and undressing another woman in a retaliatory attack related to a relationship conflict.
utAccording to Section 3 of the Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act, anyone found to have accessed or destroyed computer data without a valid reason faces a fine of up to E5,000, up to three years in jail, or both.
The CEO of the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM), Prince Mvilawemphi, highlighted the scope of the law, cautioning that “it is now illegal in eSwatini to view your romantic partner’s cellphone.” “A lenient judge may impose a fine of E5,000, but the maximum is E300,000.”
As Dludlu’s case develops, it serves as a sobering reminder of how relationships involving digital activity are becoming more and more scrutinized by the law.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
