Swaziland's High Court granted bail on Friday to 15 people charged with treason for a wave of petrol bombings but government offices closed before payments could be made so they will stay in custody over the weekend, according to Reuters. The 15 are members of the opposition People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) party, which has denied involvement in the bombings and accused Swaziland's absolute monarchy of using the case to discredit it. Chief Justice Jacobus Annandale said the bail application highlighted the independence of the judiciary under the southern African country's new constitution. "The new constitution of Swaziland guarantees the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. It's good to be able to say that," said the judge. Bail was set at 5,000 rand ($797) a person. Sporadic petrol bombings began in the late 1990s, but last year there was a spate that targeted police, government buildings and court houses. No one was hurt. A Swazi worker for the United Nations pleaded guilty last month to treason for petrol bombing a government building and said the kingdom's banned opposition had planned attacks. Mduduzi Dlamini, a project worker with the U.N. children's agency, was sentenced to one year in jail or a fine equivalent to $818, the minimum for a crime that could have resulted in the death penalty. It is believed he may turn state witness against the others according to Reuters. --SP 23 17 Local Time 20 17 GMT
