MBABANE, SWAZILAND – Police charged Dumsile Dludlu with unauthorized computer access after she allegedly read her husband’s WhatsApp messages without permission, marking the first spousal privacy case under Swaziland’s 2022 cybercrime law.

Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi granted Dludlu bail pending her March 10 trial. She pleaded not guilty to unauthorized access but admitted insulting her husband Samukeliso Matse based on messages she found.

The Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act carries penalties up to three years imprisonment and E5,000 fines for unauthorized data access. Aggravated offenses can result in five-year sentences and E500,000 fines.

“This case will establish important precedent for digital privacy rights within marriages,” said a legal expert familiar with cybercrime legislation, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The charges reflect increasing enforcement of digital privacy laws in Swaziland. Last month, authorities charged Nontsikelelo Lebohang Gina under the same act for posting accusations about her husband’s alleged affair on Facebook.

In a separate incident, police arrested Hlengiwe Mathunjwa for allegedly filming and sharing a violent assault motivated by suspected infidelity. The victim reported being threatened with a weapon during the attack.

Legal analysts say these cases highlight growing tensions between traditional relationship dynamics and modern digital privacy protections. The outcomes could reshape how courts balance marital access to information against individual privacy rights.

The Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act specifically prohibits accessing computer data without lawful justification, regardless of relationship status. Courts must now determine whether marriage provides implicit consent for accessing spouse’s private communications.