Limpho Sello

STRIKING health workers have petitioned Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to address their demands for Coronavirus (Covid-19) risk allowances and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to protect them from the deadly virus.

This after the latest round of negotiations with Health Minister Motlatsi Maqelepo on Tuesday failed to yield an agreement.

The workers’ representatives met Mr Maqelepo on Tuesday, a day after they began their strike which has paralysed the health sector.

Immediately after the failed talks with Mr Maqelepo, the workers’ representatives requested an urgent meeting with Dr Majoro.

“As of today, we realise that we are reaching a deadlock with the (Health) Minister (Maqelepo).

“We thus request an audience with the Honourable Prime Minister at the earliest time possible since this has become a national challenge with health facilities providing only emergency services.

“We hope and trust that the Prime Minister will accord us the time requested as a matter of urgency,” the coalition states in its letter signed by its chairperson Gertrude Mothibe.

The coalition’s spokesperson Dr Mojakisane Ramafikeng said they resolved to take their grievances “to a higher office” after the collapse of their talks with Mr Maqelepo.

“Ntate Maqelepo failed us hence we resolved to take our grievances to a higher office.

“We need a meeting with the prime minister urgently. While we are still protecting ourselves from Covid-19 (by striking), we hope he will be in a position to hear us and respond to our grievances. We now await his response to our request,” Dr Ramafikeng told this publication yesterday.

Repeated efforts to obtain comments from Dr Majoro and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Kemiso Mosenene, were unsuccessful as their mobile phones rang unanswered yesterday.

The post Striking health professionals petition Majoro  appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Limpho Sello

THE ongoing indefinite nationwide strike by health workers has left patients stranded and brought the health delivery system to a virtual standstill.

The health workers have bandied together under the banner of Coalition of Health Professionals. The Coalition includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists and nursing assistants. They began their strike on Monday to protest the government’s failure to address their demands for Coronavirus (Covid-19) risk allowances and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to shield them from the deadly virus.

The health professionals went on strike despite Health Minister Motlatsi Maqelepo’s weekend threats to sanction them if they did not abandon what he said would be an illegal job action.

The coalition’s spokesperson Mojakisane Ramafikeng said Mr Maqelepo called them to a meeting on Tuesday to plead with them to go back to work.

He, however, said Mr Maqelepo “did not put anything on the table for us to consider abandoning the strike”.

“We were called to a meeting on Tuesday but the minister had nothing to offer. So, we will continue protecting ourselves (by striking) until the government addresses our demands.

“We are not abandoning our patients but we are simply protecting ourselves from the risk of being infected by Covid-19. We are also protecting the same people (patients) from getting infected by us because we cannot attend to them without protective clothing. We care about our patients.

“The people who do not care about the patients are those in government. They find it difficult to address our grievances so that we can go back to work,” Dr Ramafikeng said.

Repeated efforts to obtain comment from Mr Maqelepo were unsuccessful as he did not answer his mobile phone or respond to messages. The workers have since written to Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to address their grievances.

The strike comes at a time when Covid-19 infections are increasing at an exponential rate. As of yesterday, the country had recorded 256 Covid infections and three deaths.

Our news crews visited several hospitals and health centres in Maseru, including Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH), the country’s only referral hospital, since the strike began on Monday.

Pathetic scenes obtained at the various institutions as visibly ill patients were left stranded by the strike. At QMMH and other centres, medical personnel simply stood at the entrances of their work places while patients waited in vain to be attended to.

Other facilities visited by this publication include the Qoaling Filter Clinic, Loreto Health Centre (Qoaling), Likotsi Filter Clinic (Thetsane), Mohlomi Hospital (Lepereng), the Maseru City Council clinics in Khubetsoana and Ha-Thamae, Ratjomose LDF Clinic (Lower Thetsane) and Queen Elizabeth II facility (Lakeside).

Apparently unmoved by the plight of patients, some medical practitioners at these centres even locked themselves in their work rooms and advised patients to go back home without being attended to.

This publication observed many patients leaving the facilities without getting any help.

At Mohlomi Hospital, which caters for mentally challenges patients, the Lesotho Times crew arrived when the hospital’s manager, ‘Mampolai Tsemane, was addressing staffers in the afternoon.

“I have been given instructions by the Ministry of Health to tell you to go back to your work stations and resume work,” Ms Tsemane said.

“The names of those who will go back to work will be written down,” she added, much to the annoyance of the staffers.

One masked nurse shouted, “this is aimed at dividing us”. Despite Ms Tsemane’s pleas, the workers refused to have their names written down.

Ms Tsemane later told this publication her facility was severely hamstrung by the shortage of PPEs. She said her staffers were vulnerable to Covid-19 as they were constantly in physical contact with patients at the mental health facility. She said at times the staffers had to use physical force to restrain unruly patients.

But although they urgently needed PPEs, the shortage of such equipment should not be an excuse for the strike “because mental patients need to be looked after every minute of the day”.

“It is very risky for the staffers, patients and the public when patients with mental illness are left unattended. They (patients) cannot be left unattended under any circumstance because they are unpredictable and can get out of control any second. Some may even run away or hurt staffers,” Ms Tsemane said.

As this publication left the facility, it observed two young ladies who dejectedly sat at the hospital entrance after being denied permission to see their mother who is admitted at the facility. They had travelled 78 kilometres from Mafeteng to see her but could not do so due to the strike.

“We came to see our mother who was admitted last week. Our mother would have probably felt better just by seeing us. We pleaded our case with one of the nurses but we were unsuccessful. This is very painful,” said one of the ladies as she struggled to hold back tears.

At Domiciliary Health Centre, Mabote Filter Clinic and QMMH, patients were attended to at an extremely slow pace, suggesting that there was a go slow instead of a full-blown strike.

The three facilities are run by Tšepong Consortium under a controversial public-private-partnership agreement between the Lesotho government and the consortium.

Patients said they were told by the authorities to wait at the entrance of QMMH Tšepong. Those who had brought parcels for patients were told that there was no one to collect and deliver them to the patients. Some went back home with their parcels.  Some outpatients also left without being attended to.

Asked why they were just milling around instead of attending to patients, some nurses said they had initially planned to stay at home but only came to their work stations in case their managers would have updates from the government regarding their grievances.

“As you can see, we are standing here doing nothing. It means we are protecting ourselves and these poor patients from Covid-19,” one of the QMMH staffers said to choruses of approval from her colleagues.

QMMH’s public relations officer Mothepane Thahane said striking during a pandemic was “against the ethos of essential service providers”.

She said QMMH and its filter clinics had provided their staffers with PPEs to protect them from Covid-19 and it was therefore “unfortunate” that they had still gone on strike.

“As for the risk allowances they demanded, the hospital has put that issue before the Ministry of Health and their health professionals’ associations. This means that the issue will be addressed. They do not need to abandon their jobs which are highly essential and needed at this critical time,” Ms Thahane said.

The post Strike cripples health services appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Pascalinah Kabi

THERE was drama at two government ministries this week when four principal secretaries (PSs) squabbled over rights to occupy their offices.

The drama occurred at the ministries of Communications, Science and Technology as well as that of Forestry, Range and Soil Conversation.

At the centre of the wrangle were PSs ‘Mabotle Damane, Tšeliso Lesenya, ‘Maseithati Mabeleng and Advocate Mole Khumalo.

Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro last week moved Mr Lesenya from Public Service to the communications ministry while Adv Khumalo was moved from Social Development to the forestry ministry.

A statement from the office of the prime minister did not say whether the former incumbents Ms Damane (communications) and Ms Mabeleng (forestry) had been reshuffled or sacked. Their contracts had nonetheless been extended until 2023 by former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane before the collapse of his government on 11 May 2020.

When Mr Lesenya and Adv Khumalo duly reported for work at their new ministries on Monday they found, to their surprise, the former incumbents Ms Damane and Ms Mabeleng respectively still occupying the offices.

According to sources, Ministers Thesele ‘Maseribane (communications) and Motlohi Maliehe (forestry) had their hands full on Monday trying to restore sanity and quell tempers that had flared among the PSs who quarreled over the offices.

“Mole came in on Monday to report for work and found Mabeleng in office and she was not willing to make way for Mole,” a source said, adding, “it was a really awkward situation for both of them”.

“There were tense exchanges before Mole told Mabeleng that he had nothing against her and he was not willing to cause a scene. Mole eventually left the offices after Mabeleng told him that she had written to the government, demanding clarity on the status of her employment.

“She (Mabeleng) told Mole that she remained a PS as she had a valid contract for the next three years. She told him that she wrote to the government on Friday after being informed that a new PS had been assigned to her ministry while was still in office.

“Mole then left the office but before his departure, he phoned the minister Ntate Maliehe who was not in office to inform him that he (Mole) would only report for work after the matter had been resolved. He is still not at work as we speak.”

Adv Khumalo refused to comment on the issue while Ms Mabeleng’s mobile phone rang unanswered since Tuesday.

Mr Maliehe said he was in Mohale’s Hoek when the drama unfolded.

“My secretary called to tell me that the new PS Ntate Mole arrived at the offices and found that ‘M’e Mabeleng was still in office. What I can tell you is that ‘M’e Mabeleng’s contract ended either Tuesday or Wednesday last week and she should have vacated the office then.

“On Friday I went in the office late in the afternoon and I was shocked to find her there. In fact, I had already made up my mind that I no longer wanted to work with her (Ms Mabeleng). I asked the relevant offices to give me a new PS and they have given Ntate Mole who I want to work with.

“I intend to tell her that I have a new PS and she must go and report to her bosses because I cannot work with her. I don’t know who her boss is but she must go report to whoever is her boss,” Mr Maliehe said.

A similar drama is said to have played out the same day less than a kilometre away at the communications ministry.

According to sources, Minister Maseribane had to mediate between Ms Damane and Mr Lesenya after the duo wrangled over who was the rightful PS.

Ms Damane was initially evasive asking, “what do you want me to say” when asked about the issue.

She eventually admitted that “it is true that Ntate Lesenya found me in the office on Monday”.

“I am still at work but I’m preparing to handover to Ntate Lesenya. I am going home. I have been released,” she said.

She said she did not understand why she had been relieved of her duties when her contract, which was due to expire next month, was extended by another three years by Mr Thabane.

“I don’t know what this means because I have an active contract. I really do not know because the letter that I received, dated 10 July 2020, from the office of the government secretary indicates that I have been relieved of my duties as PS,” Ms Damane said.

In a separate interview, Mr Lesenya said “I am aware that you have contacted PS Damane and honourable Chief ‘Maseribane on the same issue. There is really nothing to it”.

Chief ‘Maseribane sounded unhappy when asked about the alleged fracas between Ms Damane and Mr Lesenya.

“There are no two PSs here. She (Ms Damane) is busy handing over (to Mr Lesenya).

“These people (sources) are telling you lies and they must be brought to book. Who are these people? This is unprofessional. Why do you allow people to tell you lies? They (Lesenya and Damane) were there for a hand-over. How else would she do a handover except by being in office?”

Asked if Ms Damane did not have an active contract, Chief ‘Maseribane said “she has been sent on leave”. He did not explain why she had been sent away and another PS had been appointed in her place while she had a valid contract. Ms Damane and Ms Mabeleng have gone to court to try and halt their dismissals.

The post PSs fight over offices appeared first on Lesotho Times.

• as ‘fired’ principal secretaries defy orders to vacate office 

Pascalinah Kabi

TWO principal secretaries (PSs) have rebelled against Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro and refused to accede to his orders to go on forced leave pending dismissal.

The development is yet another test for Dr Majoro’s two-month-old government which is facing resistance from disgruntled legislators who either did not make it into cabinet or are swayed by the perennial factionalism in the All Basotho Convention (ABC).

The two PSs – ‘Mabotle Damane (Communications, Science and Technology) and ‘Maseithati Mabeleng (Forestry, Range and Soil Conservation) this week refused to vacate their offices to make way for their replacements Tšeliso Lesenya and Mole Khumalo respectively. They have now gone to court to try and stop Dr Majoro from replacing them.

It emerged this week that former premier Thomas Thabane had renewed the contracts of at least eight PSs just before his ouster in May 2019.  The PSs had sought the renewals of their contracts – five months before their expiry – in terms of the law.

Dr Majoro has since reshuffled some of them into new portfolios. But he had also asked Ms Damane and Ms Mabeleng to go on forced leave with effect from 10 July 2020, a prelude to their dismissals.  The two are nonetheless digging in.  They refused to vacate their offices this week, opting to sue Dr Majoro for what they see as an illegal move to fire them from their cushy jobs via the rear door.  

The new ruckus comes barely a week after some ABC legislators still loyal to Mr Thabane vowed to sabotage Dr Majoro if he did not compel the police and prosecution authorities to drop an impending murder charge against the ex-premier. They threatened to disclose Dr Majoro’s “dirty secrets” if he did not abide by their demands. Two other ABC legislators have defected to the opposition.

According to authoritative government sources, Ms Damane and Ms Mabeleng’s forced leave was a prelude to their dismissals.  It was meant to enable Dr Majoro time to decide on how best to arrange their exit since he cannot just sack them on whim or caprice.

Their contracts were expiring this month after they were initially appointed by Mr Thabane on his second return in June 2017. They had, however, been renewed for a further three years by the ex-premier just a month before he was forced to step down in May 2020 in favour of Dr Majoro.

Six other PSs whose contracts were also renewed by Mr Thabane have either been retained or shuffled into new portfolios. They are Mothabathe Hlalele who was retained as PS at Public Works.  Nthoateng Lebona, who was moved to Finance from Development Planning.  Motena Tšolo went to Development Planning from Finance. Malefetsane Nchaka who was shuffled to Water from Agriculture, Tšeliso Lesenya who was redeployed to Communications from Public Service and Khothatso Tšooana who went to Health from Local Government.

It is not clear whether their movement into new portfolios is a vote of confidence from Dr Majoro and a signal that he will retain them as per their contract renewals by the previous premier. But should he elect to eject them from the government, he could end up with the same problem posed by Ms Damane and Ms Mabeleng.  The issue of PSs is already contested terrain with the ABC’s national executive committee (NEC) have signaled it wanted new competent deployees in those positions. It appears the NEC was not aware many of the PSs had already been reappointed by Mr Thabane.

Every new prime minister normally wants to have a free hand in choosing their PSs. Even though PSs are administrative positions and should not ideally be affected by the vagaries of politics, in Lesotho they are political appointees and come and go as governments fall. But lawsuits have often ensued if changes are foisted on PSs with valid contracts. The PS positions are also contested territory in coalitions as each party prefers to appoint its own people to the ministries it controls to ensure a full handle on a ministry’s budget.

It is in that context that Home Affairs Minister and DC deputy leader, Motlalentoa Letsosa, fumed when Nonkululeko Zaly reported for work as the new PS for that ministry last week after the expiry of the contract of the incumbent Machabana Lemphane-Letsie. The latter had not sought the renewal of her contract. An irate Mr Letsosa refused to accept Ms Zaly, who had also been appointed by Mr Thabane ahead of Ms Lemphane-Letsie’s contract expiry. The DC deputy leader argued Ms Zaly’s appointment was not in line with his party’s founding coalition agreement with the ABC. In terms of that agreement, each party seconds its own PSs to its allocated ministries. The ABC has since said it will reconsider her appointment to avert a fallout with the DC.

Such contestations over administrative positions that should be purely apolitical has been frequently cited as being at the core of governance malfeasance in Lesotho. It remains to be seen if the SADC mandated reforms will rectify that problem.

In Ms Damane and Ms Mabeleng’s case, the High Court is being asked to issue an interim order to keep them in their posts until their main case challenging the entire decision to send them on forced leave is adjudicated.  The two condemn Dr Majoro’s decision to send them on forced leave as a ploy to dismiss them via the backdoor.

They thus seek a final order for Dr Majoro to be interdicted and prevented from terminating the employment relationship between them and the government without following due process and without affording them a fair hearing.

They also want the court to declare that upon renewal of their contracts of employment, Dr Majoro was bound to honour their terms and conditions. He is not entitled to terminate the contracts without following due process.

They seek an order declaring that they “…. are entitled to discharge their duties and functions as principal secretaries in accordance with laws and regulations governing their occupation of office and in return are entitled to such remuneration and benefits as set out in their employment contracts and laws governing their employment.”

Dr Majoro, Government Secretary (GS) Moahloli Mphaka and the Attorney General Haae Phoofolo are first to third respondents respectively.

Ms Damane, Ms Mabeleng and their six colleagues’ contracts were renewed in April 2020 by Mr Thabane after they had all written to him expressing their wishes to have them renewed.

In her founding affidavit supporting her application, Ms Mabeleng said she was originally appointed principal secretary on 7 July 2017 for an initial three years. She was obliged to indicate her intention to have the contract renewed five months before it expired if she wanted it extended. She said she had asked GS Mphaka for the renewal of her contract on 23 January 2020. The request was duly granted on 21 April 2020.  The new contract would take effect from 6 July 2020 on the same terms and conditions as the expired one.

“I continued serving the government with dedication and to the best of my abilities. I aver that this is the reason the respondents renewed my contract….,” says Ms Mabeleng in the affidavit.

In fact, on 12 May 2020 she says Dr Majoro, who was then Finance minister, had written her what appeared to be a standard letter designating her as the chief accounting officer in the Ministry of Forestry, Range and Soil Conservation outlining what was expected of her.

But she says she was surprised to receive a letter on 10 July 2020 from Mr Mphaka informing her that Dr Majoro had directed that she “proceed on leave with immediate effect”.  She says the directive was illegal as she had not applied for such leave and did not want to go on leave.

“In the same letter the second respondent (Mr Mphaka) directed me to hand over my office to Mr Mole Khumalo, whom I was informed, had been transferred to the ministry in which I am the principal secretary and chief accounting officer,” Ms Mabeleng states.

She says she then wrote to Mr Mphaka informing him that Dr Majoro does not have the powers to order her to go on forced leave with immediate effect.

Ms Mabeleng said she further informed Mr Mphaka that in terms of section 12 (c) of the Public Service Act, only the government secretary could decide on her application for leave.  The fact that Mr Khumalo had been sent to replace her meant she was effectively being illegally fired.

“The decision to make me proceed on leave with immediate effect stands to violate my right to income and my integrity. There are no reasons advanced why I should proceed on leave with immediate effect when I have just started the second tour of my employment contract,” Ms Mabeleng states.

In her supporting affidavit, Ms Damane advances similar arguments. She says on 10 July 2020 she had been asked by Mr Mphaka to vacate her office in favour of Mr Lesenya who had been appointed to replace her.

She says she immediately wrote to Mr Mphaka informing him that Dr Majoro did not have the powers to order her to go on forced leave.

“The second respondent (Mr Mphaka) orally told me that they would not change their stance and they still expect us to proceed on leave despite our seeking clarity on the matter.

“He told us in no uncertain terms that the first respondent (Dr Majoro) does not want to work with us, which we interpreted to mean he is dismissing us by requiring us to proceed on leave with immediate effect,” Ms Damane says.

It is not clear why Dr Majoro had targeted the two for replacement. Their case however illustrates the many sources of resistance that he faces as he seeks to consolidate his hold on power.

Mr Mphaka and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Kemiso Mosenene, were not reachable by the time of going to print last night.

Multiple sources of resistance to his authority are nonetheless what Dr Majoro least needs when he faces mammoth governance challenges.

Last month, two ABC legislators Mokherane Tsatsanyane (Stadium Area constituency) and Sello Mooki (Bobatsi) defected to the opposition Alliance of Democrats (AD) in protest over Dr Majoro’s decisions to overlook them for cabinet posts.

Other Thabane loyalists have also demanded that Dr Majoro orders a halt to Mr Thabane’s prosecution for the 14 June 2017 murder of his ex-wife, Lipolelo.  Other ABC stalwarts are hobnobbing with the AD suggesting moves are already underway to ensure Dr Majoro does not last the distance.

The post More woes for Majoro appeared first on Lesotho Times.

The forex industry is the global market used for exchanging currencies. It is also referred to as the foreign exchange, FX or currency market. As such, the forex market is used for a variety of reasons such as tourism, commerce and currency trading.

An estimated $5.1 trillion is traded each day on the forex market, making it the most liquid market globally.

The trading of currencies dates back hundreds of years when silver and gold were valued by their size and weight and then traded accordingly. Copper later became a player when it was used to create coins at a lower value.

During the middle ages the world’s oldest bank, Monte dei Paschi, was built in Italy with the primary function of trading currencies. A few hundred years later the first forex market was created in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and went on to expand exponentially.

With modern forex trading, central banks conduct monetary policies for economic growth and price stability. These policies influence the forex market greatly as they determine interest rates, resulting in exchange rate movements.

Traders, commercial banks, brokers and hedge funds profit from these movements by speculating about the exchange rates, buying a currency for a low price and then selling it for a higher price when the market rate changes.

The forex market is open 25 hours a day, 5 days a week, as this is when international banks operate, essentially acting as an anchor point for trading currencies. These trading centres are spread across different time zones, including Sydney, London, New York and Tokyo.

The forex market is divided into three groups, namely spot forex, forward forex and future forex.

Spot forex is the exchange of a currency pair on the spot or at the exact time the trade is made. Forward forex occurs when there is a price, time and date set to buy a currency. Future forex is similar to forward forex, with the exception of a legally binding contract.

Forex trading is the selling of a currency from one country while buying a currency from another on the forex market. As such, forex trading is done in currency pairs (for example USD/ZAR), which are referred to as the base and quote currencies.

The first currency in the forex pair is the base currency, which is bought while selling the second currency, called the quote currency. The price of the pair is estimated by how much a unit of the first or base currency unit is worth in the second or quote currency.

A currency symbol consists of three letters, for example ZAR. The first two stand for the country, in this example South Africa, and the last symbol stands for the currency of that specific country, in this case the Rand.

In other words, ZAR is an abbreviation for the South African Rand and USD is an abbreviation for the United States Dollar.

Forex pairs are classified into major, minor and exotic groups. Major currency pairs are those most frequently traded in the world and usually include the USD. The cost for trading these pairs is usually lower as they makes up an estimated 80% of all currency pairs traded.

Minor currency pairs are traded less frequently than majors and usually hold major currencies that do not include the USD. Exotic currency pairs hold a major against one of the smaller, lesser used currencies from small economies.

Forex is usually traded using a forex or CFD broker.

When choosing a forex broker, it is very important to select one that is authorised and regulated by the financial institution which prevails in a specific region. Regulated brokers are by law accountable to provide safe and secure trading practices.

Other factors to keep in mind when choosing a good broker are the supported platforms, maximum leverage, costs and fees, funding options and the variety of financial instruments offered, as well as the research and educational tools a trader has access to.

CFDs (Contract for Difference) enable a trader to speculate on forex and other financial markets without actually buying the underlying assets. Instead, the trade derives its value from that specific asset’s value, thereby making it a derivative. CFDs are leveraged products.

Leverage is a loan from the broker granted to a trader to buy a currency pair or invest in assets. Leverage ratios are controlled by the broker’s regulating financial institution and differ in several regions.

Leverage allows a trader to gain exposure and potentially increase profits significantly with a small initial investment, called a margin. For example, with a leverage ratio of 1:500, a broker will provide $500 for every $1 invested by the trader.

Leverage can also potentially amplify losses as the risks are higher, especially when the loss exceeds a trader’s margin. Traders should always keep this in mind and make sure they fully understand the risks involved in leveraged trading.

Spreads also play an important role when trading forex. Spreads are the difference between the buy and sell prices on a pair. Spreads are measured in pips, and are typically the means by which a broker makes a profit.

Currency units bought or sold by a trader are measured in lots.

To trade forex successfully, one needs to understand market movements. As currencies from around the globe are in constant use and can be extremely volatile, speculations on exchange rates can be very difficult to determine correctly.

Supply and demand are major factors to consider when speculating and trading the forex markets. With increased currency values, one can say that the demand is greater than the supply and with decreased currency values, the supply is greater than the demand.

By understanding the influences which drive demand, traders can make informed decisions and potentially make massive profits.

As previously mentioned, central banks play a significant role in the interest rates of a currency, affecting the economy and the exchange rate movements.

The value of a currency is a reflection of its region’s economic stability. Staying updated with world events is important, as positive news will result in higher investor percentages in that specific region, increasing demand for the currency and vice versa.

Most brokers offer a free demo account that simulates a real trading environment. Potential traders should always consider this option before opening a live account. When opening a live account, it is suggested that beginners start off with small, manageable amounts.

The post What is forex trading? appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Mohalenyane Phakela

THE judiciary has been plunged into mourning yet again after the death of Justice Lisebo Chaka-Makhooane on Tuesday.

The judiciary’s public relations officer, ‘Mabohlokoa Mapikitla, said Justice Chaka-Makhooane died at Maseru Private Hospital after a short illness.

Justice Chaka-Makhooane’s death comes barely a month after the passing on of fellow Judge Lebohang Molete.

“It is with great sadness that I inform you about the passing of Justice Lisebo Chaka-Makhooane,” Ms Mapikitla said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The learned judge passed away this morning (Tuesday) at 9.45am after a short illness. She passed away at Maseru Private Hospital.”

Justice Chaka-Makhooane was initially appointed Acting Judge of the High Court in November 2007. She was subsequently appointed on a substantive basis in January 2009.

Born on 5 October 1958, she completed her Cambridge ordinary level at St Mary’s High School in Roma. She proceeded to the National University of Lesotho where she graduated with Bachelor’s degree in law in 1986.

She began her judicial career as a Class II Magistrate in 1988 before being promoted to Class I Magistrate in 1991.  She found time to study for an Honours degree in law (LLB Hons) and graduated with 1994.

In 2001 she was appointed Registrar of the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Besides her judicial work, she also authored several books such as Regional Conflict Management and Resolutions: some reflections on the role and effectiveness of the AU in conflict resolution.

She co-authored A volume styled In Search of Justice — Where Do Women in Lesotho Go? (published in 2000). She also co-wrote Sexual Violence in Lesotho: The Realities of Justice for Women (2002); Administration of Juvenile Justice (2003).

She served as a part-time lecturer at the NUL Institute of Extra Mural Studies.

Some of the high-profile cases she has presided over include the 2016 AVANI Lesotho Hotels’ application to have Goldrush Group (Pty) Limited’s casino licence revoked on the grounds that it would cost them millions of maloti if a competitor was licensed to operate.  Goldrush won the case.

More recently, in March this year, she dismissed South African health services provider, Netcare’s application to have the Tšepong Consortium placed under judicial management.

Justice Chaka-Makhooane’s death comes barely a month after the death of Justice Lebohang Molete. Last year the judiciary lost Justice ‘Maseshophe Hlajoane, who died in March 2019. The deaths have aggravated the chronic understaffing in the judiciary which is struggling to deal with a huge backlog of cases estimated to be in excess of 4000.

Justices Chaka-Makhooane and Molete were the only two judges at the Commercial Division of the High Court. This means that the division has been left without a judge. Unless new judges are appointed soon, there will be a huge backlog of cases.

The High Court will soon be down to just eight judges as Justices Semapo Peete and Teboho Moiloa are retiring at the end of the month.

The remaining judges are Acting Chief Justice ‘Maseforo Mahase, Justices Tšeliso Monapathi, Thamsanqa Nomngcongo, Molefi Makara, Sakoane Sakoane, Moroke Mokhesi, Keketso Moahloli and Polo Banyane.

The post Justice Chaka-Makhooane dies at 61 appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Ntsebeng Motsoeli

DEPUTY Prime Minister Mathibeli Mokhothu says the cabinet will soon announce a subsidy to cushion the public against high maize meal prices.

A similar 30 percent subsidy on locally-produced maize meal, beans and peas was introduced from June 2016 to May 2017. This was to cushion the public against skyrocketing food prices in the aftermath of the 2015/16 El Niño-induced drought.

It was bankrolled to the tune of M162, 7 million by the then Pakalitha Mosisili-led seven party governing coalition.

Speaking at the weekend burial of his late Democratic Congress (DC) legislator for Kolo constituency, Putsoane Leeto, Mr Mokhothu said the cabinet discussions on the maize meal subsidy were underway.

He said the plans to subsidise the cost of maize meal was triggered by the price hikes that had been brought on by the recurring drought which had affected crop yields.

He did not say when a decision would be reached or what percentage the subsidy would be.

“We know that people are facing hunger,” Mr Mokhothu told the handful of mourners.

“We are discussing a plan to subsidise retail prices for maize meal. We have also agreed that the government will purchase maize from local farmers to be donated back to the people,” Mr Mokhothu said.

Food prices have been hiked by almost 50 percent in the past few months since the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Shortly after the introduction of a nationwide lockdown from 30 March to 5 May 2020, the price of a 12,5kg bag of maize meal shot up to M108 from M75.

Mr Mokhothu also promised that wool and mohair farmers would soon be paid their outstanding  dues from the sales of their produce in the 2018 and 2019 farming season.

According to the Lesotho National Wool and Mohair Growers Association (LNWMGA), more than 6000 farmers have still not received full payments for their produce which was sold to international buyers by the Lesotho Wool Centre (LWC) in Thaba Bosiu.

Controversial businessman Stone Shi Maseru controls the LWC which until recently, had the monopoly to sell wool and mohair to international buyers on behalf on the local farmers.

He has been accused of deliberately failing to pay the farmers despite selling their produce.

Without giving an exact date, Mr Mokhothu said all the unpaid farmers would soon receive their dues.

The post Govt to re-introduce maize meal subsidy: Mokhothu appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Nthatuoa Koeshe

TOP South African healthcare provider, Netcare Group, has filed a High Court application to compel the government to settle a M686 million debt it says it is owed for operating the Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH) on behalf of the state.

Netcare’s general manager Christoffel Smith filed the application on behalf of Netcare, the biggest company in the Tšepong Consortium which runs QMMH on behalf of the government.

Netcare has a 40 percent stake in the Tšepong Consortium. Four other companies, namely, Afri’nnai Health of South Africa, Excel Health, Women Investment and D10 Investments (all from Lesotho), hold the remaining shares.

QMMH is said to be facing serious financial challenges which Netcare has blamed on the government’s alleged failure to pay its debts to the consortium.

In his court papers, Netcare’s Mr Smith alleges that the consortium is owed M 686 million by the government which has refused to pay up over the years despite being repeatedly asked to do so.

He said the consortium is insolvent and cannot continue its operations without receiving payments from the government. The application has also exposed divisions among the members of the consortium with Mr Smith alleging that the Tšepong board of directors has inexplicably refused to sue the government for its failure to pay up.

“The plaintiff is not aware of any lawful reason entitling the first defendant to refuse to pay or to delay the payment of the indebtedness,” Mr Smith states on behalf of Netcare.

“Tšepong is insolvent and cannot continue with its business as usual without receiving payment of the indebtedness from the first defendant.

“The board of directors of Tšepong refuses without lawful reasons to institute a claim for payment of the indebtedness against the first defendant (Lesotho government), who has made infrequent and part payments on invoices but who has to date not raised any valid defence to the plaintiff’s demands for payment.

“No other shareholder/s nor any directors will institute a claim against the first defendant for payment of the indebtedness…It is in the interests of Tšepong that the commencement and continuance of these proceedings are not left to the directors or to the determination of the shareholders as a whole.”

Mr Smith alleges that the debts have accrued over the years due to the government’s failure to fully pay for clinical and operational services provided by the consortium at QMMH.

“Tšepong would provide the clinical and operational services to the first defendant…

“Tšepong would submit a Value Added Tax (VAT) invoice to the first defendant on a monthly basis which the first defendant would pay within 30 days by electronic payment into Tšepong’s bank account…

“Tšepong submitted the VAT invoices to the first defendant on a monthly basis. Payment of the invoices was due within 30 days thereof. The first defendant did not dispute the invoices. The first defendant failed to pay the invoices.

“In the circumstances, the first defendant is indebted to the Tšepong to the sum of M 686.073.373 together with default interest thereon. Despite demand, the first defendant fails, refuses and/or neglects to pay the indebtedness to Tšepong,” Mr Smith states in his application.

The post Netcare, govt in fresh Tšepong fight appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Pascalinah Kabi

AUDITOR General Lucy Liphafa has begun auditing the government’s Coronavirus (Covid-19) budget.

In a letter to the principal secretary for cabinet administration, Kabelo Lehora, this week, Ms Liphafa’s office said the “comprehensive audit” was aimed at establishing whether all the information provided by the National Covid-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) tallies with its activities and financial transactions.

“The audit will be done in three stages, namely the preliminary audit, main audit and follow-up,” a staffer at the auditor general’s office, Monica Besetsa, states in the letter to Mr Lehora.

“The audit will be conducted in accordance with the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAIs), which requires auditors to plan and conduct the audit with professional skepticism and exercise professional judgement throughout the audit process.”

Mr Lehora confirmed receiving the letter from Ms Liphafa’s office. He however, refused to give details, saying the matter was confidential.

“It is true that I received a communication from the office of the auditor general. But I cannot go into details of that communication. It is a confidential communication between our two offices,” Mr Lehora said.

On her part, the information officer in the office of the auditor general, ‘Matšepo Mohau, said the audit was a confidential matter for the time being.

“We are at a very confidential stage as we are still planning on how to do it. Auditing is evolving and we want to do the audits during the act (actual spending of the Covid-19 budget) and not wait until afterwards,” Ms Mohau said.

The audit comes against the background of a public outcry that NACOSEC, then known as the National Emergency Command Centre (NECC), wasted significant chunks of the M698 million Covid-19 budget on food and luxuries for its staffers.

A leaked April 2020 NECC document showed that instead of actually doing meaningful work to fight Covid-19, the NECC wasted scare funds on morning tea, lunch and dinner for its personnel.

According to the document, tea, lunch and dinner were budgeted at M180 each for the 70 persons at the command centre. There are other inflated expenses including that of a single non-contact thermometer budgeted at a staggering M500 000.

Desktop internet research shows that M3000 would be enough to buy one such thermometer in South Africa. Although the NECC’s former chairperson, Communications Minister Thesele ‘Maseribane, said the leaked document was only an estimated not final budget, it however gave a clear indication of the wastefulness and lack of focus in the fight against Covid-19 by the now disbanded NECC.

While the NECC were wining and dining, hospitals and other health facilities experienced shortages of equipment including intensive care unit (ICU) beds for Covid-19 patients.

Health professionals also embarked on a two week long strike to protest the government’s failure to award them risk allowances and personal protective equipment (PPE) to shield them from the deadly virus. The strike began on 13 July 2020 and only ended last Friday after the government agreed to give the health workers allowances ranging from M2000 to M3500 per worker per month. The government also began distributing PPE to the health workers last week.

It is only now that the health sector’s problems are receiving urgent attention after the appointment of Lesotho Revenue Authority (LRA) commissioner general Thabo Khasipe as chief executive officer of NACOSEC.

Mr Khasipe’s appointment has been widely commended as he is known as an astute professional who will deliver in place of dithering politicians.

The post Auditor General goes after Covid-19 funds appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Mohalenyane Phakela

ATTORNEY General Advocate Haae Phoofolo and two principal secretaries risk being in contempt of court for allegedly defying a March 2020 High Court judgement to promote some court interpreters and pay them salary arrears from January 2013 to date.

Adv Phoofolo and the principal secretaries, Retired Colonel Tanki Mothae (Ministry of Law and Justice) and Thabo Motoko (Public Service) were on 5 March 2020 ordered by Justice Moroke Mokhesi to promote the nine High Court principal interpreters from Grade G to Grade F.

They were also ordered to pay the interpreters salary arrears backdated to January 2013 when the promotions should have been made.

Justice Mokhesi made the ruling after the nine had petitioned the court arguing that their payment grade was lower than that of their National Assembly counterparts.

Rtd Col Mothae, Mr Motoko and Adv Phoofolo were cited as the first to third defendants respectively.

However, the trio has not implemented the court judgement since it was issued in March.

A fortnight ago, the interpreters’ lawyer, Advocate Letuka Molati, wrote to them, warning that he would file a contempt of court application against them if they would not have complied with the court ruling by 3 August 2020.

“My clients have a judgement in their favour and we are aware that you are aware of this judgement,” Adv Molati states in his letter to Adv Phoofolo, Mr Motoko and Rtd Col Mothae.

“Notwithstanding your awareness, you commit ongoing contempt of court by failing to comply.

“We demand that you comply with the judgement or we shall file contempt proceedings upon the opening of the second session of the High Court (on 3 August 2020),” Adv Molati adds.

Justice Mokhesi heard the application in October and December 2019 and delivered the judgement on 5 March 2020.

In their petition, the nine interpreters argued that their payment grade (Grade G) was discriminatory in that their National Assembly counterparts were earning more than them yet they were doing the same job.

They argued that the failure to pay them the same salaries as their counterparts violated section 18 (2) of the constitution which states that “no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public authority”.

Justice Mokhesi ruled in the favour of the plaintiffs.

“I have no doubt that the plaintiffs’ underpayments should be calculated from 1 January 2013.

“It is declared that the principal interpreters of the High Court of Lesotho should be paid grade F salaries. The defendants should pay the plaintiffs’ underpayments (salary arrears) from 1 January 2013 to date,” Justice Mokhesi ordered.

The post Phoofolo faces contempt of court charge appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Ntsebeng Motsoeli

HATA-Butle residents on Friday woke up to the shocking sight of a lifeless body of a National University of Lesotho (NUL) student dangling from the rafters of a rented apartment. Next to it was a full-page handwritten suicide note.

The deceased, Thabang Kobeli, was a second-year Faculty of Science (Bsc Biology and Chemistry) student at the National University of Lesotho (NUL).

Police spokesperson, Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli said they have opened an inquiry to determine whether Mr Kobeli had committed suicide or there was foul play involved.

The NUL management confirmed the death but referred all questions on the causes to the police.

“It is with deepest sorrow that we announce the death of Thabang Kobeli, a second-year student in the Faculty of Science (Bsc Biology and Chemistry) who passed away on 24 July 2020 at Roma,” an obituary by the NUL Dean of Students’ Affairs reads.

“Burial details will be communicated later.”

Mr Kobeli’s could not be reached for comment yesterday.

NUL student representative president, Reatlehile Makateng, said on the morning that he was found hanging in his room, Mr Kobeli was expected to meet with one of his fellow students at the university campus.

On realising that Mr Kobeli had not arrived at the meeting place, the friend then visited his off-campus accommodation only to find his friend’s lifeless body hanging inside the house.

“I got a phone call at around 11am to go to the scene and there I found the deceased’s body hanging by what looked like a bag strap. The neck was so stretched that his feet were almost touching the floor. Next to him was a chair that he could have used to reach the rafters,” Mr Makateng said.

He said on the bed was a suicide note where the deceased poured out his heart and explained why he had decided to take his life “because life was not worth living”.

On the note, the deceased said that he had actually planned to commit the suicide at 8pm the previous night but inexplicably failed.

In the letter, Mr Makateng said, the deceased said his suicide had nothing to do with the bad results he had received the previous day but had to do with other hardships that he was facing in life.

The deceased was required to supplement two subjects but instead, he said he ended his life “because it was not worth living and that no one cared about his wellbeing”

He also listed his belongings, which he said should be inherited by his girlfriend.

Mr Makateng said the deceased’s landlady attested that Mr Kobeli was always a lonely figure for the two years that he had rented the apartment.

When almost all students were eager to visit their homes during school recess, Mr Kobeli is said to have remained at his apartment. He landlady assumed that he either did not have anyone to go to or maybe that he had sour relations with his family.

Although the landlady did not know much about her tenant, she could tell that he was struggling to make ends meet. However, he always paid his rentals on time.

The post NUL student commits suicide appeared first on Lesotho Times.

• victim’s father laments brutal killing
• says daughter was a defenceless woman who was killed like an animal

’Marafaele Mohloboli

THE dismembered body parts of a woman that were discovered last Wednesday in a bushy area in Kholokoe, Leribe, have been identified as belonging to ‘Makhutlang Lesekele (nee ‘Maleshoane Tukula).

Ms Tukula’s father, Paki Tukula, this week told the Lesotho Times that the family went to Maputsoe Police Station where they were referred to the Lesotho Funeral Services mortuary in the same town.

It is there that they positively identified his daughter through the rose tattoo on her right leg. The 25-year-old ‘Maleshoane is survived by her South African based husband and two daughters aged nine and 10 respectively.

The discovery of his daughter is only the beginning of the 57-year-old Mr Tukula’s nightmare. He spoke of his hurt and struggle to come to terms with the brutal murder of his only daughter.

He is not alone in struggling for answers. The nation reacted with shock and horror when Maleshoane’s remains were discovered by young herd boys in Kholokoe on Wednesday.

The shocked herdboys initially discovered Maleshoane’s right leg that appeared to have been freshly severed from the rest of her body.

Police investigators later conducted a search and discovered two arms that had been severed from the collarbone. They also discovered the other leg and a thigh that had also been severed from the rest of the body. The rest of the body parts, including the head, have still not been found.

“As it is, we can’t even say whether this is just another random barbaric killing of a vulnerable woman or a ritual murder,” police spokesperson Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli said of the grisly find over the weekend.

According to Mr Tukula, his daughter and her husband were no longer living together after the latter trekked to South Africa in search of employment early this year.

He has not returned to Lesotho after the two countries’ borders were closed back in March as part of efforts to stop the spread of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19).

Mr Tukula said left alone with their children, his daughter soon left her matrimonial home in Ha ’Makhoroana, Berea to look for a job in the industrial town of Maputsoe.

It appears she still had not secured employment when her life was tragically and brutally ended last week.

“Maleshoane was my only daughter and she was a bubbly soul,” said Mr Tukula.

“She was talkative and very humorous. I wonder what she had done to have died such a painful death. I just don’t understand and nothing really makes sense and nothing will ever justify the way she was killed.

“Whoever killed my daughter is very heartless. She was married though I have learnt that she was involved in a relationship with someone else. The same guy could have butchered her to death. I don’t know what to believe anymore as I have always known her to be a good girl.”

Mr Tukula said he only got to know about his daughter’s murder from her sister in law who visited him in Bokong, Thaba Tseka on Friday.

“Upon arrival she had asked me whether Maleshoane had changed her mobile phone number and I said I didn’t think so as we had spoken to each other earlier in the day last Wednesday. But then again, I recalled that the following day on Thursday, I had tried calling her but she was not reachable on her phone the whole day.

“Immediately she (daughter in law) came over to where I was seated and showed me a gruesome picture in her mobile phone. It was a shocker because it was my daughter’s leg. I could immediately tell from the tattoo and besides that, I knew Maleshoane so well and therefore I could never be wrong.

“But it all didn’t make sense. What had happened? I couldn’t understand what was happening,” Mr Tukula told this publication.

He said they made contact with the Maputsoe police and they were asked to report to the station on Saturday.

He said they were referred to the mortuary where their nightmare was confirmed.

“Maleshoane is no more. I’m left with so many questions. I am trying to make peace with what has happened and I believe that God has His way of doing things and He is never wrong.

“His decisions cannot be questioned. I don’t have time to dwell on my anger.  All that I need now is to find my daughter’s missing parts and bury her. Maybe that way we can get closure.”

He said the Tukula and Lesekele families have agreed to give police investigations a chance to search for Maleshoane’s missing body parts before deciding on her funeral date.

Supt Mopeli said the search was on-going and the police were confident of nabbing the culprits.

“We already have leads and we are hopeful that someone will soon be behind bars for this gruesome murder,” Supt Mopeli said this week.

The post Leribe murder victim identified appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Staff Reporter

ECONET Telecom Lesotho has completed a circle of innovation by introducing airtime conversion to the EcoCash wallet.

This was revealed by Econet’s acting General Manager: Econet Services, ‘Makatleho Raphoolo at the product launch in Maseru this week.

Ms Raphoolo said Econet first launched ‘buy airtime with EcoCash’ as one of the mobile money’s basic functions in 2013 but could not complete the circle since airtime conversion involves cash handling which requires cautiousness.

However, the company has been working together with mobile money authorities to ensure that the introduction of airtime conversion to cash promotes the efficient operations of the payment system.

“Airtime conversion to EcoCash is another add-on to a full banquet of EcoCash services which offer convenience to customers since its launch over seven years ago” Ms Raphoolo said.

“We are continuing to find innovative solutions for our customers who sometimes find themselves in circumstances that require money either to pay bills or send to loved ones when they only have airtime in their accounts… that’s where this service comes in handy.”

Although it free to buy airtime using EcoCash, airtime to EcoCash comes at the minimal charge of 20 percent per transaction. Airtime conversion to cash poses a daily limit of M200 and a monthly limit of M2 000 per customer. The subscriber can convert airtime in multiples of M10, that is, conversion can be made from M10 up to M200.

The ‘airtime to EcoCash’ option is easily accessible on Econet’s *100# menu under EcoCash. The subscriber must confirm the transaction before it can go through the process instantly. The conversion charges are deducted from the converting account which is the core airtime balance and this amount is included in the amount to be converted for the customer to authorise by confirming manually.

A confirmation short message service (SMS) will then be sent to the customer confirming the transaction while the EcoCash wallet is credited with the amount requested.

Subscribers can only convert airtime into their own EcoCash wallets. They cannot convert their airtime into other subscribers EcoCash wallets. However, once the airtime conversion process is successful, they can send money to friends and family from their EcoCash wallets.

This service is available to prepaid mobile subscribers only and bonus airtime or free minutes cannot be converted into cash.

Airtime Conversion steps:

• Dial *100#
• Select 4 EcoCash
• Select option 2 Airtime to EcoCash Conversation
• Select 1 Convert Airtime
• Enter Amount you wish to convert
• Press 1 to confirm

The post Econet allows airtime conversion to EcoCash appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Ntsebeng Motsoeli

DEPUTY Prime Minister Mathibeli Mokhothu says the cabinet is considering setting up a commission of inquiry to investigate widespread allegations of police brutality.

Mr Mokhothu said the cabinet had already ordered ministers in charge of the security agencies to investigate the allegations and their findings will determine if a commission of inquiry is necessary.

The two ministers who have been tasked with probing the issue and reporting to cabinet are ‘Mamoipone Senauoane (Police and Public Safety) and Prince Maliehe (Defence and National Security).

Speaking at the weekend burial of his Democratic Congress (DC) party’s legislator for the Kolo Constituency, Putsoane Leeto, Mr Mokhothu said the government was not deaf to the alleged reports of police brutality.

He said the cabinet had already ordered Ms Senauoane and Mr Maliehe to investigate and table reports on the issue before cabinet maps the way forward.

“There is the issue of alleged civilian fatalities at the hands of police officers,” Mr Mokhothu said, adding, “We will take action on that issue”.

“We have already instructed the ministers responsible for the security sector to give us detailed reports on the cases and where the alleged perpetrators are based. If need be, after the reports, we will establish a commission of inquiry so that the legal actions taken will be above board without any ulterior motives,” Mr Mokhothu said.

Even when they were still in the opposition, Mr Mokhothu and his DC party were very vocal about the need to discipline rogue police officers and end police brutality.

Despite a seemingly bright start in fighting crime after his August 2018 appointment by then Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli appears to have gone off the rails.

Under his watch, the police have increasingly become brutal towards civilian suspects.

In July 2019, 31-year-old Kabelo Ratia of Nazareth, Maseru was tortured by police to the point where he soiled himself and was made to eat his own faeces.

Attorney General Advocate Haae Phoofolo in on record saying the government was “against the inhumane and degrading treatment which some of the suspects are subjected to while being investigated by police”.

“All police officers who have been implicated in incidents of torture should be answerable for their actions. The degradation of the suspect who was made to eat his own faeces should be thoroughly investigated with a view to acting against the officers involved.

“Rogue police officers should toe the line. This is totally unacceptable, it’s inhumane and degrading,” Adv Phoofolo said shortly after it was reported that Mr Ratia had been tortured and made to eat his own faeces.

Early this year, then Prime Minister Thabane unsuccessfully tried to fire Commissioner Molibeli for allegedly failing to discipline officers accused of brutality against citizens.

There have been renewed calls by the Lesotho Mounted Police Service Staff Association (LEPOSA) for Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to suspend Commissioner Molibeli to facilitate investigations into a plethora of issues including his alleged failure to deal with rogue police officers who engage in acts of brutality against ordinary citizens.

The reports of torture and deaths of suspects in police custody has also focused the international spotlight on Lesotho’s human rights records. Some key development partners such as the United States government have warned the government of a looming suspension of critical development assistance if corrective measures are not taken.

A recent African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) report seen by this publication also expresses concern over the “persistent allegations of police brutality” in Lesotho and calls on the government to capacitate the relevant institutions to enable them to investigate allegations of human rights violations.

In August 2019, the government told Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders that 30 rogue police officers accused of brutality would face criminal charges.

None of the officers have been tried to date.

The post Govt investigating police brutality: Mokhothu appeared first on Lesotho Times.

• claims they are in open rebellion against him

Pascalinah Kabi

POLICE Commissioner Holomo Molibeli’s fight with the militant Lesotho Mounted Police Service Staff Association (LEPOSA) is escalating and threatens to tear apart the police service.

Commissioner Molibeli this week said policing and national security could be severely compromised if LEPOSA leaders, who have called for his sacking, are not brought to book.

LEPOSA is a trade union body representing all police officers. It has petitioned Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to suspend Commissioner Molibeli to facilitate investigations into the latter’s alleged criminal misconduct, maladministration and abuse of power.

The police boss has hit back by initiating moves to fire LEPOSA members who he brands as “rogue” police officers out to derail the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) from doing its work. He has also accused some of his subordinates of “engaging in an open rebellion against the police management”.

Commissioner Molibeli has particularly trained his guns on LEPOSA national treasurer, Lance Sergeant ‘Mathebe Motseki.  He on Monday slapped her with a letter demanding she “show cause” why she should not be dismissed for her recent statements which allegedly tarnished the image of the police command.

Speaking earlier this month at the funeral of one Lance Corporal Thabang Molelekoa in Mafeteng, Lance Sergeant Motseki allegedly accused the police authorities of transferring some police officers as punishment for opening a case against former First Lady ‘Maesaiah Thabane for allegedly assaulting a Maseru man at State House in January 2019. 

Lance Sergeant Motseki is also alleged to have accused the police command of failing to arrest Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) Paseka Mokete after a female junior police officer accused him of sexual assault in April 2020. The case is now before the courts.

Part of the “show cause” letter to Lance Sergeant Motseki reads: “you will not deny that your utterances were solely intended to tarnish the image of the LMPS and its management”.

“You will not deny that taken holistically, your utterances at the said funeral amount to only one conclusion that it was meant to subvert the good order, discipline or lawful authority and thereby bringing (sic) the police service into disrepute. You are aware of the powers vested upon the Commissioner of Police in terms of provisions of Section 31 (1) (i) of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service Act of 1998.

“On the basis of the foregoing, I have been instructed by the Commissioner of Police to demand from you, as I hereby do, reasons if any, why the provisions of Section 31 (1) of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service Act of 1998 may not be invoked against you.

“Your written response is expected to reach this office within seven days upon receipt of this letter. Failure to give your response within the stipulated time will be considered that you have waived your right to make a representation,” the letter states. It was written by the LMPS’ human resource officer, Superintendent Marou on behalf of Commissioner Molibeli.

Section 31 of the LMPS Act empowers the police commissioner to dismiss police officers after giving them an opportunity to defend themselves.

Lance Sergeant Motseki received the “show cause” letter on Monday, the same day that Commissioner Molibeli instructed one Senior Superintendent Shale to warn police officers against the behaviour of “rogue” officers whom he said had openly rebelled against him.

A day earlier, the police command had issued a similar memo warning of tough measures against the “rogue” elements.

The fighting statements from the police command come barely a fortnight after LEPOSA asked Dr Majoro to suspend Commissioner Molibeli to facilitate investigations into the latter’s alleged criminal misconduct, maladministration and abuse of power. (See story above).

The head of the police complaints and discipline department, ACP Motlatsi Mapola, also stalked the fires by asking the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Advocate Hlalefang Motinyane to prosecute Commissioner Molibeli and one of his top assistants ACP Beleme Lebajoa for abuse of office after they allegedly protected ‘Maesaiah from being prosecuted for assaulting a Maseru man.

LEPOSA and ACP Mapola’s pursuit of Commissioner Molibeli and his close allies triggered the top cop’s fightback as evidenced by the Sunday and Monday memos warning of “rogue” police officers who are allegedly “in open rebellion against the police command”.

“It has some to the attention of the police command that there are of some rogue elements in the police service masquerading as LEPOSA. The rogue elements have gone out of their ways to publicise false information about the police as well as dragging the good name of the police through the mud (sic).

“Their behaviour is unacceptable to the entire nation. These rogue elements have gone further to include or use the name of senior people in the country, including the name of the Prime Minister (Dr Majoro) in their sinister agenda seemingly affecting the stability of this country. (sic).

“The police management will therefore take decisive and legal disciplinary measures to bring the situation under control. Those members of the LMPS are therefore warned to immediately cease from involving themselves in their scoundrel behaviour,” the police command states in its Sunday statement. It is not clear who authored the statement but it was distributed to police officers by police spokesperson Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli.

But LEPOSA has refused to cowed by the police bosses.

On Monday, the police union wrote back to the police command, saying, “we are appalled by this statement because only the LEPOSA national executive committee (NEC) has the right and authority to discipline its members in cases of indiscipline”.

“We therefore remind you all that LEPOSA is an independent body which is not governed by the police management.

“LEPOSA is not ashamed to stand by the statements, verbal and written, made by its members in the media. LEPOSA members are not making these statements in their personal capacity and there is no way they can be victimised for carrying out their mandates on behalf of the association. The threat by the police management is intended to stifle the association,” LEPOSA stated on Monday.

The police command again responded to LEPOSA the same day through Snr Supt Shale’s memo, saying he had been instructed by Commissioner Molibeli to inform all police officers that some police officers “masquerading as LEPOSA, have embarked on an open rebellion against the police management”.

“LEPOSA is an association established in terms of section 66 of Police Act of 1998 and the Police Regulations of 2003. As such, the police management is fully aware of the objectives of this police association. The ongoing media onslaught by LEPOSA office bearers on the police management have nothing to do with LEPOSA objectives but they are only based on personal whims.

“Members of the LMPS, particularly those who are members of LEPOSA, are to note that there was a meeting on the 10 July 2020 chaired by the police authority, (Police and Public Safety) Minister ‘Mamoipone Senauoane, with LEPOSA and LMPS management. This meeting was the first step towards the formation of a police negotiating council…

“The LMPS management advises members of LEPOSA to be vigilant and ensure control of their association’s affairs. Lest the few take advantage and drift it astray as they whet their own personal and political interests at the expense of the association,” Snr Supt Shale said.

In its response to the Monday memo, LEPOSA denied that there ever was a meeting on 10 July. The association said it was shocked to learn of the “divisive tendencies lately adopted by management of police”.

It however, said Ms Senauoane only paid a “courtesy call on LEPOSA and the police management on 15 July 2020.

“The minister strictly emphasised the encounter was only courteous… The issue of establishing police negotiating council did not arise. It is also pertinent to state that even the issues raised in the (LEPOSA) letter to the Prime Minister were not a subject of discussion at the courtesy meeting.”

LEPOSA accused the police management of attempting to sow divisions among LEPOSA members through its statements.

The post Commissioner Molibeli fights “rogue” LEPOSA elements   appeared first on Lesotho Times.

• as Shaun Abrahams recommends his prosecution for defeating the ends of justice
• says he should be charged alongside Mokete and Lebajoa

Mohalenyane Phakela | Pascalinah Kabi

EMBATTLED Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli and his trusted lieutenants, Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) Paseka Mokete and Assistant Police Commissioner (ACP) Beleme Lebajoa, face a fresh legal battle after South African prosecutor, Advocate Shaun Abraham, recommended their prosecution for allegedly defeating the ends of justice.

Adv Abrahams, a former national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) at South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), was hired by the Lesotho government to prosecute various high-profile cases involving politicians, serving and former members of the security agencies.

Highly placed sources in the police and judiciary this week told the Lesotho Times that Adv Abrahams asked the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Adv Hlalefang Motinyane to prosecute Commissioner Molibeli, DCP Mokete and ACP Lebajoa for defeating the ends of justice. This after the trio allegedly sabotaged the police investigation into the 14 June 2017 murder of former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s ex-wife, Lipolelo.

Mr Thabane and his current wife, ‘Maesaiah have been named as suspects in Lipolelo’s murder. Commissioner Molibeli and his allies have been accused by police sources of sabotaging the murder probe to protect the Thabanes. The sources said the probe was only revived early this year to get back at Mr Thabane for attempting to oust the police boss.

The sources said Adv Abrahams made the recommendation after meeting the former lead investigator in the Lipolelo murder, Senior Inspector Mphelehetse Khatleli, at the police headquarters in Maseru a fortnight ago.

According to the sources, the latest moves to indict the top police officers have resulted in a fresh war between them and DPP Motinyane who was already considering charging them for various other alleged crimes.

Some of these crimes include allegedly protecting ‘Maesaiah from prosecution for assaulting a Maseru man at the State House in January 2019.

So serious are the tensions between the police and DPP Motinyane that the latter is said to have hired private security details for her own protection. This despite that she is entitled to round the clock protection by members of the police’s Special Operations Unit (SOU). Although SOU members still guard her home in Maseru West, she has also hired a private bodyguard to watch over her at all times, the sources say.

“DPP Motinyane was warned by some police officers who are allies of the police bosses (Molibeli, Mokete and Lebajoa) against pursuing the charges against them,” a source said.

“She (DPP Motinyane) was told to drop the plans to charge them, failing which she will see for herself what will happen to her. She interpreted this to mean that her life would be in danger if she did not drop the charges.

“She is not taking the threats lightly and has therefore sought audience with the prime minister (Moeketsi Majoro) to discuss the issue. She has also hired private bodyguards to beef up her security,” the source said.

Several attempts to get a comment from DPP Motinyane proved fruitless over the past two weeks. She initially requested a meeting last Friday but later postponed, saying she would notify this publication when she was ready. Yesterday, she did not respond to requests for a meeting.

Adv Abrahams this week refused to speak about the sources’ claims that he had recommended Commissioner Molibeli and others’ prosecution for allegedly defeating the ends of justice in the Lipolelo murder probe. He referred all questions on the issue to DPP Motinyane.

“I do not know what you are talking about. Please engage the DPP (Motinyane) with all your queries Mr Phakela,” Adv Abrahams said.

However, the well-placed sources insisted that DPP Motinyane had resolved to charge Commissioner Molibeli and his lieutenants. This after a recommendation by Adv Abrahams who met with Snr Insp Khatleli at the police headquarters on 14 July 2020.

Snr Insp Khatleli led the Lipolelo murder probe from 2017 until he was ordered by Commissioner Molibeli to surrender the case to DCP Mokete in January 2020.

He was later transferred from Maseru to Mokhotlong in March 2020. The move has been condemned by some police sources as aimed at frustrating him.

It was also viewed as an attempt to steal his and his team’s thunder after they implicated Mr Thabane and his wife, ‘Maesaiah, in the gruesome murder.

‘Maesaiah is out on M10 000 bail while Mr Thabane is yet to have his day in court. It is not clear why the police have not yet arrested him despite repeated assurances by DCP Mokete that he will soon be arrested and appear in court alongside his wife.

ACP Lebajoa directed all questions to police spokesperson Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli.

On his part, Supt Mopeli said they had indeed sent some police officers to the DPP’s office to inquire about the January 2019 assault case against Commissioner Molibeli, ACP Lebajoa and ‘Maesaiah. He however, expressed doubts that DPP Motinyane was ever threatened by the police officers.

“After learning that there was such a case, we asked police officers from our intelligence department to go to the DPP’s office last week and inquire about the case because none of the police superiors knew about it before then.

“Normally when there is a case against police officers, it is reported to the LMPS command but this was not done in this instance.

“We sent the team to the DPP’s registry office and they were told that the file was being searched for before it could be given to them. We do not know who is behind the case and all I can say is that the LMPS command is investigating what the case is really about.

“I may not be in the picture as to what actually transpired at the DPP’s office. But logically speaking, how would she be threatened when the inquiry was done at the registry and not her personal office?

“I am not disputing that she could have been threatened but I have not heard that she has laid any complaint of being threatened. The officers who were sent there were intelligence officers who could not have carried guns to her office,” DCP Mokete said.

Meanwhile, DCP Mokete appeared to confirm that Adv Abrahams had indeed held a meeting with Snr Insp Khatleli over the Lipolelo probe.

He told this publication that details of Adv Abrahams’ meetings with police officers “remain confidential”.

“I cannot respond to your inquiries because those issues are part of an ongoing investigations,” DCP Mokete said yesterday.

According to the sources, Snr Insp Khatleli was called to the 14 July 2020 meeting at the police headquarters to shed light on the Lipolelo probe.

“He (Snr Insp Khatleli) spilled the beans on the police bosses to Adv Abrahams,” said one source.

“He revealed that investigations had proceeded smoothly under then police commissioner Molahlehi Letsoepa. Everything changed after Ntate Thabane appointed Molibeli as the police commissioner in August 2017.

“Snr Insp Khatleli told Adv Abrahams that Molibeli and his team frustrated the probe to protect Ntate Thabane and his wife, Maesaiah from prosecution. Adv Abrahams then recommended the prosecution of Commissioner Molibeli and other senior officers like DCP Mokete and ACP Lebajoa for allegedly defeating the ends of justice,” the source said.

Snr Insp Khatleli refused to comment on the issue.

Last week, he confirmed to the Lesotho Times that his investigation team “did not enjoy the much-needed support from the police command” after the ouster of Mr Letsoepa.

“I don’t want to go into details surrounding the investigations but I can confirm that twice during the investigations, we went without support from the police boss.

“Three months into the probe, we had already established a pool of suspects and anticipated that we would have completed the case the following month.

“We were now at a point where we needed to get solid evidence to tie the suspects to the crime. However, the vehicle and other resources we had been allocated such as airtime were withdrawn for 10 months.

“When SADC intervened (in December 2017), we had already made a breakthrough but investigations were frustrated by the lack of support from the police command,” Snr Insp Khatleli said.

Contrary to recent claims by DCP Mokete that he took over the probe after realising that Snr Insp Khatleli and his team were afraid of investigating high profile figures like the then premier and his wife, Snr Insp Khatleli said the Lipolelo probe was a straightforward investigation which could have been concluded a long time ago if they had resources at their disposal.

“It is not true that the case was taken away from us because we were afraid to arrest high profile individuals. This was one straightforward murder case which could not be completed soon enough because we did not have resources.

“We had to dig deep into our own pockets to finance investigations to an extent that we sent informants transport money for us to meet. We did some of these things to maintain our own credibility in the eyes of the informants as they were sceptical about our roles and impartiality as the police.

“In every case I have worked on, my intention is to always do well so that justice prevails. I don’t do it for a promotion. Every case needs enough evidence linking the suspects to the crime before going to court,” Snr Insp Khatleli said, adding that he had previously put other high-profile criminals behind bars.

Apart from the Lipolelo issue, the top cops face various other charges individually and collectively.

Commissioner Molibeli and ACP Lebajoa could also be prosecuted for abuse of office after they allegedly protected ‘Maesaiah from being prosecuted for allegedly assaulting a Maseru man, Thesele Matela, at the State House on 2 January 2019.

This after Mr Matela had accidentally phoned Mr Thabane.  Mr Matela is alleged to have been later “kidnapped” by the police and taken to State House in the boot of a car. He then received a heavy beating at the hands of ‘Maesaiah and her friends.

The request to prosecute ‘Maesaiah and Messrs Molibeli and Lebajoa was submitted to DPP Hlalefang Motinyane by Commissioner Molibeli’s subordinate, ACP Motlatsi Mapola, a fortnight ago.

In addition to the possible criminal charges, the Lesotho Police Staff Association (LEPOSA) has also petitioned Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to suspend Commissioner Molibeli to facilitate investigations into the latter’s alleged criminal misconduct, maladministration and abuse of power.

The criminal charges stem from a perjury case which a junior officer, Snr Insp Haleeo Leluma, filed against Commissioner Molibeli earlier this year.

Snr Insp Leluma wrote to then Police and Public Safety Minister, Lehlohonolo Moramotse, on 1 April 2020 accusing Commissioner Molibeli of making false claims in his answering affidavit to a court case Insp Leluma had filed to stop the police boss from transferring him from Maseru to Qacha’s Nek.

The junior officer had alleged that Commissioner Molibeli had sought to transfer him from Maseru to Qacha’s Nek on the basis that there had only been one senior officer responsible for that district yet that was not the case.

Former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane had attempted to fire Commissioner Molibeli on the basis of Snr Insp Leluma’s letter to Mr Moramotse.

Mr Thabane said he had been advised that Commissioner Molibeli’s claims were false because there were three senior officers at the level of senior superintendent and two senior inspectors in Qacha’s Nek instead of the one senior alleged by the police boss. Mr Thabane accused Commissioner Molibeli of having committed perjury.

On the other hand, DCP Mokete has been charged with sexual assault and this was on the recommendation of Adv Motinyane. A junior police officer, Inspector ‘Makatleho Mphetho had laid a sexual assault against DCP Mokete. The matter will on 21 August 2020 be allocated a hearing date in the Maseru Magistrate Court. DCP Mokete is out on free bail.

The post Molibeli woes mount appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Nthatuoa Koeshe

PRIME Minister Moeketsi Majoro has established several inter-ministerial committees to address various challenges including the instability in the security agencies.

The move comes against the background of infighting within the police force pitting Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli against his subordinates in the Lesotho Mounted Police Service Staff Association (LEPOSA).

LEPOSA is a trade union body representing all police officers. It has petitioned Dr Majoro to suspend Commissioner Molibeli to facilitate investigations into the latter’s alleged criminal misconduct, maladministration and abuse of power.

The police boss has hit back by initiating moves to fire LEPOSA members who he brands as “rogue” police officers out to derail the police force from doing its work. He has also accused some of his subordinates of “engaging in an open rebellion against the police management”.

Pressure had been mounting on Dr Majoro to act or risk a full-blown crisis which could plunge the nation into another era of anarchy reminiscent of the 2014 to 2017 period. During that time infighting in the army destabilised the country and led to the assassinations of army commanders, Maaparankoe Mahao and Khoantle Motšomotšo, June 2015 and September 2017 respectively.

Although, it did not specifically mention the police tensions, a statement issued by Dr Majoro’s office yesterday said “in order to manage emerging crises and issues of public interest…the Office of the Prime Minister has established a committee to investigate potential instability in the security agencies”.

“Some members of the security forces have expressed grievances regarding their workplaces and it is important to ascertain the veracity of these claims as well as exploring solutions,” the statement says.

It states that the committee to investigate the “potential instability comprises of ministers ‘Mamoipone Senauoane (Police and Public Safety), Prince Maliehe (Defence and National Security), Kemiso Mosenene (Prime Minister’s Office) and Professor Nqosa Mahao (Law and Justice)”.

The statement says an inter-ministerial committee has also been set up to investigate the trafficking of people.

“There are indications that Lesotho is experiencing escalating trafficking in persons. Owing to this, the United States has cautioned Lesotho that this might affect negotiations for the second Millennium Challenge Compact.

“Secondly, trafficking in persons is a serious crime that violates the rights of the trafficked people. The purpose of this committee is to understand the depth of problem and formulate a strategy to effectively eliminate this crime in Lesotho, including to investigate and prosecute people involved in this heinous crime,” the statement says.

The committee investigating trafficking includes ministers Senauoane, Mr Maliehe, Prof Mahao, ‘Matebatso Doti (Social Development), Keketso Rantšo (Labour and Employment), ‘Matšepo Ramakoae (Foreign Affairs and International Relations) and Motlalentoa Letsosa (Home Affairs).

Besides these, a Covid-19 taskforce has also been established to “steer the fight against Covid-19 infections and to oversee the formulation and implementation of strategies against the virus”.

This in addition to the already existing National Covid-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) headed by Lesotho Revenue Authority (LRA) Commissioner General Thabo Khasipe.

A National Reforms Steering Committee has also been set up to support and expedite the completion of Lesotho’s multi-sector reforms that were recommended by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 2016.

The statement indicates that various standing committees have been established including a finance and development committee, an investment promotion committee and an infrastructure committee.

“The primary purpose of the finance and development committee is to provide guidance or strategic direction through alignment of budgets and monitoring budgetary and operational performance to fulfil management obligations in respect of efficient and effective use of government resources.

The investment promotion committee aims to support private investment by “removing roadblocks to investment and job creation”.

The infrastructure committee seeks to support the development of infrastructure such as roads, electricity and communications.

The various committees shall report to the cabinet on a regular basis and the prime minister’s office shall also monitor the work of the committees, the statement says.

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…as criminals continue to run rampant  

’Marafaele Mohloboli

Koalabata in Berea, the scene of the gruesome 2012 ritual killings, witnessed more gruesome murders at the weekend.

This time the unknown killers gunned down four unarmed and defenceless women including an 87-year-old woman and her 60-year-old daughter.

The four slain women are ‘Malehlohonolo Tšiame (60), her mother ‘Makali Molibeli (87), ‘Matšooana Makepe (40) and ‘Maselone Lelakane (36).

They met their untimely deaths when unknown gunmen stormed Tšiame’s house on Saturday evening and opened fire on them.

A source who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said he suspected the murders were revenge killings targeting Lelakane who he said had been accused of killing some people in Roma “a few years ago”. The source said the other victims were probably caught up in the crossfire aimed at Lelakane.

This could not be confirmed by the police who said they were still investigating the murders.

The killings came just days after two women were murdered by unknown killers in separate incidents in the Leribe district.

The gruesome murders are the latest in a long series of violence and killings of Basotho, particularly women and children, which have catapulted Lesotho to the nefarious distinction of being among the top ten countries with the highest levels of homicides in the world.

Ironically the killings occurred on 1 August 2020, the first day of women’s month.

Women’s month was originally aimed at commemorating South African women’s spirited fight against repressive apartheid laws in the 1950s.

Now women’s month commemorates women in general, including Basotho women’s fight for emancipation from violence, killings and socio-cultural and economic ills.

But the Saturday murders and others that preceded them have cast a pall on the Lesotho authorities’ failure to protect the womenfolk from blood-thirsty killers.

According to deputy police spokesperson Sub-Inspector ‘Makeabetsoe Mofoka, the four women were gunned down between 7 and 8 pm on Saturday.

“A man stormed the house and found a 11-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man in the kitchen washing dishes,” Sub-Insp Mofoka told the Lesotho Times this week.

“The man pointed a gun at the man and girl and ordered them to lie down. Shortly afterwards, gunshots were heard in the bedroom where the four now deceased women were seated. It is not clear how many gunmen were involved but we suspect there could have been two.

“Three of the women died instantly while Molibeli was rushed to hospital as she still had some vital signs. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it,” added Sub-Insp Mofoka.

This publication subsequently learnt that the house in which the killings occurred belonged to Tšiame. She was living with her octogenarian mother while the other two women were her cousins.

According to a source, Lelakane had been estranged from her husband, Malefetsane Lelakane, for more than a year.

“She (Lelakane) left her matrimonial home in Ha Thetsane, Maseru last July and the husband didn’t even know where she was staying.

“She left a day after her husband was arrested after she reported him to the police for being in possession of an illegal gun. He only spent a day in custody and upon his release, he found their two children, a 15-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son alone as their mother had left.

“Her husband later learnt that his wife (Lelakane) had got him arrested and she was in an extra-marital affair with a police officer who was behind his arrest.”

The source said Lelakane initially put up with her one of her brothers who also resided in Ha Thetsane.  The duo was constantly on the run as they were being hunted by a man who wanted to kill them, accusing them of having “killed” his parents in Roma some years ago.

The source said almost two weeks ago on 23 July 2020, Lelakane had gone to her matrimonial home in the company of two men and pleaded with her husband to be allowed to return.

“The husband refused to entertain her and called one of his police officer friends to mediate between them. The two sides met on Saturday 25 July but they failed to bury their differences.

“They were then advised by the policeman to either seek professional help or divorce. Last Tuesday, the husband filed for divorce and the case had been set for 8 September 2020. But it will no be longer be heard after Lelakane was shot dead.

“Lelakane had only been at her cousin’s house for a few days when disaster struck. I think all the other slain victims were just caught up in the crossfire and this was a revenge killing intended to get her (Lelakane),” the source said.

Malefetsane said in an interview he had discovered that his slain wife had been having an affair with a police officer in the Special Operations Unit.

“I know for sure because after my wife had started behaving in a strange and suspicious way, I had followed her around until I confirmed my suspicions when I saw her with that man going into some rented apartment in Naleli,” Malefetsane said.

He said his wife’s life had been in danger as she and her brother were constantly being chased around by an unknown gunman.

He said sometime before she deserted their matrimonial home last year, the gunman attempted to shoot her dead but luckily for her the gun malfunctioned and she made good her escape.

He said a few months later, another attempt was made to kill her this time by a knife-wielding man who had stabbed her repeatedly.

He said she sustained some injuries from the incident. He said a gunman later succeeded in shooting her brother dead last year while she escaped unscathed.

“Someone was out to kill my wife but she was always lucky to escape. There was a time when she and her brother were being hunted by someone who accused them of killing his parents. Her brother was shot and killed while she went unscathed. She was being hunted,” said Malefetsane.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro visited the Tšiame family in Koalabata to pay his respects.

He was accompanied by Social Development Minister ‘Matebatso Doti, Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli and army commander Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli said there were still no arrests as yet “but the police are busy with their investigations into the murders”.

The post Four women gunned down in Koalabata appeared first on Lesotho Times.

• begins processes to fire police union’s secretary general Moraleli Motloli

Pascalinah Kabi

POLICE Commissioner Holomo Molibeli has intensified his war with the “rebellious” leadership of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service Staff Association (LEPOSA). He has initiated processes to fire its secretary general Inspector Moraleli Motloli.

Inspector Motloli has been asked by Commissioner Molibeli to “show cause” why he should not be dismissed from the police force for petitioning Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to fire him (Molibeli).

He is the second-high ranking LEPOSA official on Commissioner Molibeli’s firing line.

LEPOSA national treasurer, Lance Sergeant ‘Mathebe Motseki was on 27 July 2020 slapped with a letter demanding she “show cause” why she should not be dismissed for her recent statements which allegedly tarnished the image of the police command.

Speaking earlier this month at the funeral of one Lance Corporal Thabang Molelekoa in Mafeteng, Lance Sergeant Motseki allegedly accused the police authorities of transferring some police officers as punishment for opening a case against former First Lady ‘Maesaiah Thabane for allegedly assaulting a Maseru man at State House in January 2019.

Lance Sergeant Motseki is also alleged to have accused the police command of failing to arrest Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) Paseka Mokete after a female junior police officer accused him of sexual assault in April 2020. The case is now before the courts.

Lance Sergeant Motseki received the “show cause” letter on 27 July, the same day that Commissioner Molibeli instructed one Senior Superintendent Shale to warn police officers against the behaviour of “rogue” officers whom he said had openly rebelled against him.

A day earlier, the police command had issued a similar memo warning of tough measures against the “rogue” elements.

The fighting statements from the police command came barely a fortnight after LEPOSA asked Dr Majoro to suspend Commissioner Molibeli to facilitate investigations into the latter’s alleged criminal misconduct, maladministration and abuse of power.

The head of the police complaints and discipline department, ACP Motlatsi Mapola, also waded into the police union’s fight with Commissioner Molibeli by asking the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Advocate Hlalefang Motinyane to prosecute the top cop and one of his top assistants ACP Beleme Lebajoa for abuse of office after they allegedly protected ‘Maesaiah from being prosecuted for assaulting a Maseru man.

Commissioner Molibeli did not take LEPOSA and ACP Mapola’s pursuit of him lying down in light of his memos last week in which he warned of “rogue” police officers whom he said are “in open rebellion against the police command”.

The Lesotho Times this week established that Commissioner Molibeli had followed up on the memos and “show cause” letter to Lance Sergeant Motseki by initiating processes to dismiss Inspector Motloli for asking Dr Majoro to fire him.

Part of the 30 July 2020 “show cause” letter to Inspector Motloli reads: “You will recall that in your letter to the prime minister of Lesotho dated 14 July 2020, published in the Lesotho Times newspaper dated 23 July 2020 Volume 13 Issue 17, masquerading as the LEPOSA Secretary General, you launched an open rebellion against the Commissioner of Police by stating that the Commissioner of Police should be suspended from the Lesotho Mounted Police Service for he is abusive of his powers and mal-administering the institution”.

“You will further recall that you even threatened the Prime Minister in your said letter, trying to force him to bow to your rebellious demand and stated that, if he fails to suspend the Commissioner of Police you will have no option but to approach the courts of law to force him to do as you directed him.”

The letter was written by the LMPS’ human resource officer, Superintendent Marou on behalf of Commissioner Molibeli.

Supt Marou states that Insp Motloli attempted to persuade Dr Majoro to yield to “your ill-founded and rebellious demand” to have Commissioner Molibeli fired by “falsely” stating that there was an appalling policing environment within the LMPS which was likely to deteriorate into chaos and compromise the “already fragile” national stability.

“But you (Insp Motloli) failed to disclose that you are out to mobilise police officers to support your rebellious acts against the LMPS management, which the officers (sic) refused to buy into your campaign.

“You will not deny that you maliciously accused the Commissioner of Police of being biased in handling the cases of police brutality making reference to the case of Leribe where two suspects died in custody and one at the scene of crime.

“You will further not deny that you deliberately lied about this issue while you know very well that the case has to be referred to the magistrates’ court for an inquest to determine the possible suspects in the matter. You will also recall that in your said letter, you questioned the “intellect” of the commissioner of police, his “capacity and competency to lead and chart” the LMPS.

You will not deny that your said statement is not only insulting to the person of the Commissioner of Police, but also insubordinate, rebellious and disrespectful to him as the head of LMPS and even extends to the authority that found it befitting to appoint him as the Commissioner of Police (sic).

“You will not deny that you have no authority, whatsoever, to act as the advisor to the Prime Minister which the content of your letter has portrayed yourself as thus. Or to act as an oversight body of the LMPS or police authority (sic).

“You will not deny that taking in totality the content of your letter  (sic) reflect your sole intention is not only to publicly attack the Commissioner of Police and management of the LMPS, but also to advance your personal whims and interests as manifested therein camouflaging as LEPOSA secretary general and thereby subverting the good order, discipline or lawful authority and bringing the police service into disrepute (sic).

“On the basis of the foregoing, I have been instructed by the Commissioner of Police to demand from you, as I hereby do, reasons if any, why the provisions of Section 31 (1) of the LMPS Act of 1998 may not be invoked against you.

“Your written response is expected to reach this office within seven days of the receipt of this letter. Failure to give your written response within stipulated time will be construed as you have waived your right to make a required representation,” Supt Marou said.

Section 31 of the LMPS Act empowers the police commissioner to dismiss police officers after giving them an opportunity to defend themselves.

In his 14 July 2020 letter to Dr Majoro, Insp Motloli said Commissioner Molibeli should not be treated differently from other police officers who have been suspended to pave way for investigations whenever they were accused of misconduct.

He asked the premier to suspend Commissioner Molibeli until after he has been cleared of criminal charges stemming from a perjury case which a junior officer, Senior Insp Haleeo Leluma, filed against him earlier this year.

Snr Insp Leluma wrote to then Police and Public Safety Minister, Lehlohonolo Moramotse, on 1 April 2020 accusing Commissioner Molibeli of making false claims in his answering affidavit to a court case Insp Leluma had filed to stop the police boss from transferring him from Maseru to Qacha’s Nek.

The junior officer had alleged that Commissioner Molibeli had sought to transfer him from Maseru to Qacha’s Nek on the basis that there had only been one senior officer responsible for that district yet that was not the case.

Former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane had attempted to fire Commissioner Molibeli on the basis of Snr Insp Leluma’s letter to Mr Moramotse.

Mr Thabane said he had been advised that Commissioner Molibeli’s claims were false because there were three senior officers at the level of senior superintendent and two senior inspectors in Qacha’s Nek instead of the one senior alleged by the police boss. Mr Thabane accused Commissioner Molibeli of having committed perjury.

LEPOSA had backed Mr Thabane’s moves to oust Commissioner Molibeli but the former was barred by the courts from doing so. The courts ruled that Mr Thabane had acted unprocedurally in attempting to oust the police boss.

The post  Molibeli intensifies war with LEPOSA appeared first on Lesotho Times.

Nthatuoa Koeshe

FORMER Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and his All Basotho Convention (ABC) party had lost the support of most Basotho by the time Mr Thabane was forced to step down by his own party in May 2020, a leading African research institute has said.

With just two years before the next elections are due, Prime Minister Majoro and the ABC have their work cut out in restoring the electorate’s confidence in the party.

Failure to deliver on key promises including implementing the multi-sector reforms, fighting Covid-19, stimulating economic growth and tackling corruption could affect the ABC’s chances of retaining power in 2022.

This because the Afrobarometer survey shows Basotho have spectacularly lost interest in the ABC.  Of 18 African leaders involved in the survey Mr Thabane was found to command the lowest levels of support and confidence among his people.

By the time he was ousted, support for Mr Thabane had plummeted from 57 percent in 2017 to only 14 percent while support for his ABC had plunged to just 12 percent in March 2020 from 46 percent in 2017. Perceptions of corruption seems to have contributed significantly to this plunge.

Afrobarometer, a pan-African, non-partisan research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, economic conditions and related issues in Africa, made the findings after conducting a survey in Lesotho in February and March 2020.

Mr Thabane came to power in the aftermath of the 3 June 2017 elections where his ABC party won 50 out of the 80 constituency seats. The ABC also secured three proportional representation seats to bring their total seats to 53 in the 120-member parliament. The ABC then formed a governing coalition with the Alliance of Democrats (AD- nine seats), Basotho National Party (BNP- five seats) and the Reformed Congress of Lesotho (RCL- one seat).

However, Mr Thabane and his government failed to last the distance and collapsed on 20 May 2020. This after his party withdrew from the coalition and formed the current governing coalition with the Democratic Congress (DC) party.

The ABC forced Mr Thabane to step down, branding him a liability after he and his wife ‘Maesaiah were implicated by the police in the 14 June 2017 murder of Mr Thabane’s ex-wife, Lipolelo Thabane.

He was succeeded by the ABC’s Thetsane legislator and former Finance Minister Moeketsi Majoro.

Prior to his ouster, an Afrobarometer survey found that Mr Thabane and his ABC had already lost support from the majority of Basotho.

By the time he was ousted, Afrobarometer found that only 14 percent of Basotho supported Mr Thabane, down from 57 percent who supported him when he took power in 2017.

Afrobarometer also found that support for the ABC had plummeted to just 12 percent in March 2020 down from 46 percent in 2017.

The research institute attributed the loss of support for both Mr Thabane and the ABC to perceptions that they were corrupt and had consequently failed to perform to expectations.

“Lesotho’s ruling coalition parties and parliament suffered sharp declines in popular trust along with the country’s former prime minister,” Afrobarometer states in its survey report released on 30 July 2020.

“Perceptions of official corruption have skyrocketed, and an overwhelming majority of citizens said they distrust and/or disapprove of the performance of the ruling ABC party, parliament as well as of former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane.

“These negative evaluations came in February and March 2020, before Thabane’s resignation in May and just two and a half years after the ABC won 50 constituencies out of 80 in the 2017 election to become the leading party in the coalition government. Asked how they would vote in a hypothetical election, only one in 10 Basotho said they would vote for the ABC.

“Popular trust in members of parliament and the ruling coalition parties plummeted between 2017 and 2020. Only one in eight Basotho (12 percent) said they trust the ruling parties “somewhat” or “a lot,” down from 46 percent three years earlier.

“For parliament, trust declined from 48 percent to 20 percent. Similarly, only 14 percent said they trust then Prime Minister Thabane, down from 57 percent in 2017. Trust in Thabane is by far the lowest among executives in 18 African countries surveyed in 2019/2020…”

Afrobarometer found that perceptions of official corruption increased sharply with 45 percent and 46 percent of the respondents saying that “most” or “all” MPs and government officials are corrupt respectively.

Back in 2017, only 22 percent and 28 percent of the respondents said the MPs and government officials were corrupt.

More than half (54 percent) of the respondents said Mr Thabane and his office were corrupt. This is more than twice the number of those who accused Mr Thabane of corruption in 2017. At the time only 20 percent of the respondents said the then premier was corrupt.

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