Translated from Portuguese. The Portuguese version prevails. Ler em português
The President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Angola, Justice Laurinda Prazeres, has expressed her deep sorrow and dismay at the death of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Bheki Maphalala, who passed away on Thursday, 10 September 2026, following an illness.
In a message of condolence addressed to the Supreme Court of that country, Laurinda Prazeres joined, with respect and solidarity, in the grief and mourning that have befallen the judicial institution of the Kingdom of Eswatini.
The Angolan judge recalled with particular appreciation the presence of Bheki Maphalala in Angola in February 2026, on the occasion of the Constitutional Forum on the Rights and Guarantees of Young African Women and African Children (Fórum Constitucional sobre os Direitos e Garantias da Jovem Mulher e da Criança Africana), during which he took part in the discussions on the promotion and protection of fundamental rights on the African continent.
In the message addressed to the bench of Judges of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Eswatini, the President of the Constitutional Court conveyed, on her own behalf and on behalf of the Justices and staff of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Angola, heartfelt condolences to the Supreme Court, the authorities and the people of Eswatini, and to the family of the late judge.
“The passing of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Bheki Maphalala, represents a loss for the judiciary of the Kingdom of Eswatini and for the African judicial community, with which he maintained an active relationship of cooperation and institutional dialogue,” stressed Laurinda Prazeres.
Bheki Maphalala was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Eswatini on 10 November 2015. Throughout his professional career, he distinguished himself by his dedication to the judiciary and by his contribution to strengthening the judicial institutions of his country and to consolidating judicial dialogue on the African continent.
The Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Eswatini is a member of the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa (CJCA), an organisation of which the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Angola is also a member.