Ministers under probe
MASERU — Police are investigating current and former government ministers for alleged corruption, the Lesotho Times can reveal.
Yesterday Police Commissioner Kizito Mhlakaza confirmed that he was investigating several current and former ministers.
He however refused to name them for fear of jeopardising investigations.
Mhlakaza’s confirmation comes a few days after Prime Minister Tom Thabane called on the police to arrest corrupt current and former ministers.
Thabane was speaking at a gathering in Hololo constituency in Butha-Buthe on Sunday.
Thabane said there were allegations that there were “corrupt ministers who committed crimes in the past”.
“I instruct the police to arrest them. Yes, Commissioner Mhlakaza, I say to you arrest these people even if they are still ministers or former ministers,” Thabane said.
“A person will be released by the courts of law if there is lack of evidence. We are committed to rooting out corruption.”
Mhlakaza told the Lesotho Times that he had heard Thabane’s call and he was already working on several cases involving senior public figures.
“I have cases before me that I’m already working on”.
“I did hear the PM’s instruction when he said it. We already have cases on the table that we’re already working on. Before long you will hear all about it,” Mhlakaza said.
Asked to elaborate on the number of the cases and the status of those being investigated, Mhlakaza declined to respond saying “it will compromise the cases we have”.
“Revealing or giving an indication as to who are the people being investigated will seriously compromise our case. All there is that the investigations involve prominent people,” Mhlakaza said.
“I appeal to you to be patient until such a time that we’re ready to brief you on what the police have established.”
The prime minister’s call seems to have been targeted at current ministers who also served as ministers under the previous Lesotho Congress for Democracy government.
There are currently six members who served under former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili’s government.
They are Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, Energy Minister Timothy Thahane, Finance Minister Leketekete Ketso, Forestry Minister Khotso Matla, Public Service Minister Motloheloa Phooko and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohlabi Tsekoa.
At his inauguration in June last year Thabane promised to fight corruption to improve Lesotho’s economic prospects.
According to the Economic Statistics Database services provided by EconomyWatch.com, Lesotho ranks number 78 on the Corruption Perception Index which features global statistics.
In August last year, Former Natural resources Minister and deputy leader of the Democratic Congress party, Monyane Moleleki, was arrested for alleged corruption but the state failed to charge him.
He has since said no matter how deep the police dig into his affairs they will never find anything criminal because he is “as clean as snow on a mountain”.
He has also challenged the government to investigate his former colleagues who are now ministers in the coalition government.
Comment by Hlaba le kene on 24 January 2013:
Tibisa kepi Mhlakaza moriana o tlase u ko tlohele hobesale o t’soere hlolo ka boea tjena.
Comment by semenekane on 24 January 2013:
Aho! Bro Tom supa tsela Lekhoakhoa. Ba jeleng chelete ea Block Farming ha ba ts’oaroe. Mphu Ramatlapeng o rekisitse Land Cruiser ea ‘muso Gauteng, ha a ts’oaroe
Babolai ba Maile Mosisili, ba Lekhooa la Bill Clinton Foundation le ba batho ba bang ba baholo kahara naha haba ts’oaroe
Nkhono ‘Malepono ka mechini ea Machaena ha a ts’oaroe, re tennoe ke libolu tsena tsa batho. Nxa!
Comment by Apole on 24 January 2013:
Re beile matsoho phatleng re shebelletse. Lesotho mona ntho li iphella feela! che retla bona.
Comment by Thamae on 24 January 2013:
Bats’oaroe batla lokolloa ke makhotla ha evidence e haella? Chee ntate Tom,haba qeta holokolloa ba kenya liclaim,we gona here police make claims unnecessary bt e le taolo ea hao. Gv Police office what dey want don’t mk dem 2 cause claims after dat e be u critics dem.
Comment by monatala on 24 January 2013:
what’s the shallow news? 1.which “ministers are under probe”? 2. What corruption are they being probed of? It’s better not to report than ho fana ka taba tse senanng ‘moko
Comment by mamoqato on 24 January 2013:
lia wela wela
Comment by semenekane on 24 January 2013:
Ntate Mhlakaza ke tla fa Mapolesa a pad on the shoulder ha feela Mahaletere nka bona a panyapanya Ntloana-Ts’oana. Mapolesa ha a chorise botsibi lipatlisisong tsa linyeoe. Bro Tom o khoaolotse koetla, this a serious test to investigation authorities. Khale le lla kahore le ne le tlangoe matsoho pusong e corrupt ea Mahaletere, hare bone hee!
@ Thamae there is nothing wrong with this article. U can’t publish the name of a suspect before he or she appears before courts of laws. Lesotho times is trying to avoid a defamation of character claims. Just watch the space my man.
Ba monyele Mhlakaza
Comment by lion tau on 24 January 2013:
This is actualy a great idea, however can we actually say that Mapolesa a tlohetseng hoo investigate ka ho shapa ekaba ona ao re a tshepelang ho etsa this formal investigation?
I therefore suggest that forensics be deployed for this task!
Comment by Nong la kolo on 24 January 2013:
Hoa bonahala hore batho ba ho tsoana le semenekane ba na le lehloho le tebileng against mokola. Thusa mapolesa he ntate ho bokella bopaki against him cuz o bonahala o na le tsebo e pharalletseng litabeng tse amanang le mahaletere le bobolu ba hae.
Comment by Nong la kolo on 24 January 2013:
They are Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, Energy Minister Timothy Thahane, Finance Minister Leketekete Ketso, Forestry Minister Khotso Matla, Public Service Minister Motloheloa Phooko and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohlabi Tsekoa.
Ho tlaba joang na banna, “khili” keo taba
Comment by THLOMOHI on 24 January 2013:
‘Na ke kopa ho hlahelle le Makosetabole a amehang tabeng tsa Senoa-Mali sa Koalabata. Ekaba ‘Mae eena ha ba e-so ‘malehise? hmmm che bobolu, ke kopa ntate molimo ake a re hauhele a re thuse Senoa-Mali se ts’oaroe ‘me se fanyehoe ka molala hofihlela se e-shoa ‘moho le ‘mae!
Comment by MORU on 24 January 2013:
SHEBA LE LI PAYMENTS TSA MAKHOOA A LI SENIOR COUNSEL A CHOCHISANG BASOTHO. SEPUTA SE MOO SEA TS`ABEHAHA SEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Aunty P on 24 January 2013:
@ monatala, I do agree with yu… Either yu say something of substance or yu dont. Ha ba etse li investigations tsa bona ba qete, ba sa re nonose litaba. Ba re fe litaba ka botlalo kapa bo tlohele.!
Comment by Bobete on 24 January 2013:
Nt PM we are tired of lip service, this must not be a deplomatic talk to raise people’s expectations, we want results. Corrupt Ministers must be weeded out of service. Lead by examples. Esale ho thoe ho phatlalatsoa maruo, le kajeno ha ke so utloe na keng oa matona/maparamente ea seng boletse a hae. Kannete lipuo tse nang liketso tsena li khathatsa matla.
Comment by Aunty P on 24 January 2013:
@ Moru,
Ha e le ea li Snr. Counsel eona u thole ka eona. DCEO e ka koaloa tuu!! Hoba ke tsela eo ba bang ba eona ba neng ba ja ka eona. Be e hira le ho tla bua nyeoe e ka buuang ha Maseterata. Jo! Ntho tsa Lesotho!
Comment by semenekane on 24 January 2013:
@ Nong la Kolo please be informed that I have nothing against Mahaletere however, justice delayed justice denied.
Where in this world a man can save such a massive amount money with his funds?. I urge Police to challenge his source of income apart from his ministerial salary.
There should be very intensive forensic investigations against Mahaletere n his friend Dr. Size 2
Comment by Liabo on 24 January 2013:
@Tlhomohi ke rapela le uena, ke hloka feela ha nka utloa ho thoe Senoamali seno se t’soeroe ha ke na taba le li corruption.
Comment by LOBENGULA on 24 January 2013:
Other than Masupha Sole of the LHDA fame, no other ‘senior’ person in Lesotho has ever been prosecuted for corruption! Recently LESTIMES reported about the policeman who was involved in serious investigations involving some senior people who had to go into exile in RSA after threats from his superiors. We have since not heard anything about the said policeman and / or the cases he was investigating. My take in this whole issue is that all if not most of our politicians are rotten and no one will ever be prosecuted because they will protect each other knowing that if one is imprisoned, he or she will not go down alone! The Prime Minister’s call for the arrest of corrupt ministers is just politicking and making us feel like his administration is doing something when in fact nothing is happening. The fact that there was so much noise about Monyane Moleleki and his orphanages without any solid case build shows our police is just a toothless dog that is there not to protect the people and keep law and order but to protect corrupt senior civil servants and ministers and excel in terrorizing the populace; killing and maiming suspects and drinking themselves to stupidity.
Comment by Moferefere on 24 January 2013:
waste of time waste of energy waste of resources. lesotho mona taba tsena li tlilo monyella tjee joaloka lebese le qhalaneng lehlabatheng. ntho ena hase naha hohang.
Comment by Letebele on 24 January 2013:
Mosebetsi o motle TK. Feela hore o tle o khanye ho feta ke hore eena a hle a qale a le hloe pele sika la thole esebe eena o silafetse hofeta bao a ba hlahlobang bohloeki, etsoe le eena e kile ea eba letona.
Comment by I hate PM e makopo on 24 January 2013:
Makopo le uena u ne ntse u le letona la ntate Mosisili ho feella 2006 ka hona le uena u tlameha ho tsamaea holima khoele jou moer ke uena. Ke bona u ipona bo betere ka ba bang feela ele khale ha kaana u bolile kapa u phaphisoa ke hona hobane sefahleho se kang sa katse see se se sa sosobana? sis
Comment by cantryman on 24 January 2013:
@moferefere, if de gv is silent u pple cry whn they do sthng, u say they waste time, money and energy. Le haeba ba keke ba fumana letho from sum of them, bt ho babang they ll! The only prblm we ve wt our investigating institutions is lack of forensic intelligence.
Comment by AAAA on 24 January 2013:
yes
Comment by Selai on 24 January 2013:
Another name to add to the list of current ministers/prime ministers that served under Former Prime Minister Mosisili is Prime Minister Tom Thabane.
Comment by Le DC on 24 January 2013:
Ts’oeu ha li tsoane Tom a keke a etsa letho ka batho
Comment by marapong on 24 January 2013:
halala!
Comment by Thaba-Telle on 24 January 2013:
Mr PM, slow down a bit, theola moea Lekhoakhoa, litaba tsa sechaba ha li sebetsoe joalo. You don’t give such serious instructions about people in a public gathering, just to score cheap political points. This issue needs to be approached with clear and sobre minds. Otherwise, it will be bungled and blow in your faces like several cases before it that caused the government huge embarrassment. What if these high-profile people of past and present govt are cooperative with the police? Should the police still arrest them for cheap publicity stunt? This will appease and appeal to the the lowly and small-minded people, but not the right-thinking citizens. I’m afraid these reckless utterances will cost the government dearly. Lesotho is a democratic and rule-based country that upholds the human rights, the rule of law, and not the rule of man!
Comment by Blanche on 24 January 2013:
Leave Dr. alone only
Comment by Halakashaa on 24 January 2013:
Sebolu se seng ke Akhente e ho thoeng Buys ea buellellang Standard Lesotho Bank
Comment by The RIBS on 24 January 2013:
Where are the senior police officers suspected of corrupt POLICE uniform tenders in 2011. 2 years down the line they still have not been charged because DCEO bungled their case.
Comment by Halakashaa on 24 January 2013:
Thaba-Telle, hoa bohlokoa ho ‘na ea lapileng ho ntse ho thoe batho ba jele ke ho bona lipatlisiso li etsoa batho ba qosoa. Ha ke tsotelle ka political points hoba ha ke ralipolotike
Comment by roots on 24 January 2013:
HA RE BONE BA TSOAROA
Comment by koko on 24 January 2013:
@ RIBS:
Taba ea uniform ene e sebetsoa ke moshemane eane eo ba mophaphathehisitseng… i people could have seen tsela ngoana eno a neng a sebetsa nyeoe eno ka teng ho fihlela a ts’oara beng baka. Kene ke ipone ka nako eno hore kea fokola ka lipatlisiso hobane he charged batho bano without having totured them. Ekare aka isoa PTC ho rupela bana ba heso hoa tlohelloa hore re mo sale morao ka baka la lehloeo le ho mo tsaba.
DCEO le Basotho mono teng ba lahlehetsoe. Ngoana eno oa ke ntja ka investigations
Comment by madise on 24 January 2013:
ha di bolawe tadi tsena, di senyetsa setjhaba!
Comment by Oa Likoetseng on 24 January 2013:
@Halakasha, oeso, o tseba taba tsee thata haeba o tseba likakapa boo Buys. Joale o tsebe ha a kopane le Makula teng o thala feela makhotleng mona ka mobu oa Basotho.
Lesotho Times eona le ‘Muso li bapalla holima maphelo a rona mona. Ntho eo ba e tsebang ke ho re phahamisetsa li highblood mona ka ho tlaleha litaba tsee liphuputsong le tsee ka makhotleng. Ke bona e ka joale hona ke ho qabanya sechaba, le ho hamela likhafa tsena tsa sechaba ka makhotleng.
Ke hobaneng ‘muso o lumela ho potlakela liphatlalatso tsee lekunutu lialemoeng le li koranteng? Ntate Tom o e ts’oare litomo hantle e sere ea o liha Lekhoakhoaaa.
Comment by Sakunyane on 24 January 2013:
Hahaha batho bana ke li bra kaofela ha mccd a kaea teronkong u ka lefa chelete
Comment by pit on 24 January 2013:
I wonder if Ntate Tom is investigating himself for his I involvement against the the state during MCCD’s time (alleged) I think this coalition government is heading for a big fall. Is this a witchhunt for a purpose or are they really dancing to DC’S tune that elections are imminent
Comment by Joseph Qhojeng on 24 January 2013:
The tym i hv bn long waited.
Comment by Wa Mphosong Moshana on 24 January 2013:
Six former and current Ministers and they al belong to LCD,huh?. This might end up as a political suicide. If the Ministers know that they r guilty, ther are going to do al dts into their capacity to end the Thabane led govt. I forsee a DC and LCD coalition govt emergin very soon
Comment by semenekane on 25 January 2013:
Tlolo ea molao ha e khethe hosa tsotellehe hore motho o kene mokhoa ofeng oa lipolotiki. Bro Tom o ne a akarelletsa letona le leng le leng ho kenyelletsa le ena ho ts’oaroa ha a belaelloa litlolong tsa molao.
Balakalletsi tlohelang ho senya moelelo oa puo ea Bro Tom. Coalition Government is here to stay till 2017.
Baloi basa rateng khotso ea naha ba ee Liheleng koana. Matona ohle a amehang liketsong tsa bobolu ho kenyelletsa le letona le leholo Bro Tom ba ts’oaroe.
Lona Ma-Poto tlohellang ho lora litoro tsa Faro tse kekeng tsa phethahala leha letsatsi leka hlaha bophirima
Comment by Lenonyane on 25 January 2013:
Hee, taba tsa naha ena li thata li batla thapelo feela empa leha ho le joalo ho se ke hoa sebelisoa mafufa le mahloeo
Comment by MOCUMBI on 25 January 2013:
Ke qala ho bona hore mapolesa a laeloa on public gatherins.
Comment by Monamoli on 25 January 2013:
@I hate PM e makopo
Ache ua tla ua mpolaea he nnake! tjo
Comment by ABCLCDBNP on 25 January 2013:
“’They are Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, Energy Minister Timothy Thahane, Finance Minister Leketekete Ketso, Forestry Minister Khotso Matla, Public Service Minister Motloheloa Phooko and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohlabi Tsekoa.””
Ho tlaba joang na banna, “khili” keo taba what about Tommy for Maile & Machakela murderings & Scott’s skeptical escape in prison?
“”The character of Mr. Jones demonstrates that having power in no way means one is responsible or worthy of that power”
“Quote #2
The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership. (3.2)
The pigs originally derive power from their intellect.
“Napoleon later derives power from his own prestige – by separating himself from the rest of the animals, he heightens his importance”
Comment by ABCLCDBNP on 25 January 2013:
“”Power corrupts and absolute power absolutely.” metsing do you have a say in this GOVT? KHATHE THESELE ENA U FUMANE FAOUR EO A NTSA ITSIPE LEHAJOALE!
Comment by motho-mots'o on 25 January 2013:
ea fihla nako esale re lebeletse
Comment by tabola on 25 January 2013:
Prevention of Corruption and Economic Offences (Amendment) Act 2006.
Section 24 provides; where a person has been convicted of corruption or cheating public revenue, the Court may, in addition to the sentence imposed and upon application by prosecution, order forfeiture to the State of all assets accrued to the convict or held on his or her behalf.
Who supposed to implement this section?
Comment by Senonnori on 25 January 2013:
What do you mean by former minister?
How far back is the reference period?
Current PM is a former minister will he also be investigated?
Comment by Senonnori on 25 January 2013:
Investigation my foot what happened to finance PS?
ha ho kaba hoathoe o bolile ?
How can u investigate your wife ?
PM is currently in marriage with corrupt wife what will happen ha
secha linokoane me a fumana hore ha se VIRGIN
o tla moleleka
Without a wife there is no marriage . NO MARRIAGE NO GOVERNMENT
PM o ea oa.
Comment by Tsotsi on 25 January 2013:
This is moment I waited for all my life. !!!!
Comment by Setsokotsane on 25 January 2013:
Ao,ho tla buuoa fela ba llang ba lle mats’oafo a ba lakatsang hore ntho li etsahale a tla lula a le holimo hofihlela rea likhethong tse tlang. Le tla lla feeeeela le be le thole. Thom o ntsa ts’oana hantle le babusi ba naha ena ba fetileng. Boralipolotiki rea tseba ba tjena ba tloaetse ho bua feela. Ha u le ka nkung u je u hlahe fela mohla u tlo re thetsa fela. Le DC le leng ke lane la lesole le hothoeng ke Kamoli le seke la mopota ka thoko le fapohele
Comment by Mcena on 25 January 2013:
U ka nyala mosali u tseba hore ke leteka.e be u tlo re u batla ho bona hore naa ha e ntse e le letekatse?
Comment by Mcena on 25 January 2013:
Tom ke oa bo tselela.le ena a fuputsoe ho se fuputsoe ma LCD FEELA.SIKA LA THOLE KHAOOA NTETEKOANE KE OELE!
Comment by lengopa on 25 January 2013:
Bomenemene bona halena bohlola. Chelete ha lieo ho bona li sechabeng tlase koana akere Sene se fuoa tenders chelete tseneng li phatlalatsoa hore mahaltere o sitisoa ho lifumana ke metlae.bo rare ba rekile mapolasi Ka mabitso a ba bang.Investigate every mosotho mostly tenderprenuers ke mophula oa chelete he o
Comment by 'Mankete on 28 January 2013:
I for one was not suprised that no charge could be brought and stuck on the Teflon, Mahaletere. Current cases under investigation will also clutch at straws unless the cops bring aboard professional auditors. Why? Because their investigative skills are detrimentally flawed and are applicable to no-name lower class suspects without an idea of what human-rights and justice are. Those suspects who are kicked and suffocated and worse because they are “nobody”! High profiled suspects like our politicians are dreaded by the LMPS investigation code, cannot be physically handled to any incriminating end in the LMPS’ favour; even the PTC training manual, now decades old, is likely silent on the matter. Good luck!
Comment by WENDY on 28 January 2013:
‘na m just too scared of the whole thing ea LIPOLOTIKI ke nahana on the other side li etselitsoe to confuse us as basotho,next moment are shaking hands,next moment there is investigation ka the other previous government!NA TSOELOPELE ETLABA NTHO TENG?ANYWAY GOOD LUCK!!!!
Comment by oa mqwaza on 28 January 2013:
hO BOOOOONA LEKHOAKHOA! ha ba ts’oha1 ha ba ts’oha! bo nong la kolo1 utloa ntho tseo a ntseng a li bua1 kapa ba ne ntse ba mo tsoepelela batho ba ba lisatane ha ke tsebe! ke hore o ikutloa o hlohlona ka sebonong ha ho buuoa ‘nete? che u e jele phehla le mosali oa hao ke leteketse haeba o nyetsoe ke sebono se kang uena tjena sa motho! phooa1 hee u masepa! see! u le dc lena le nkhang sebolu!
Comment by Tsotsi on 29 January 2013:
Hoja puso hase ea coalition, ‘muso o keneng o ka bo o itsoelletse pele ka bobolu, masole a ne a kene pusong are a tlo lokisa, eaba ba bula mala-matenya bare sechaba se itlame mala-ma-sesane. Ka ‘nete re nne re lebohe khetho ea sechaba e faneng ka hung parliament moo mekha e nang le taba-tabelo ea ho busa e keneng pusong ea kopanelo. Kea bona hore Mosisili o ne a baleea eng ha a ne a re ha a batle puso ea kopanelo. One a ts’aba hore bosholu bo bokana bona bo hlaele pooaneng. Ako bone ka moo maqheku a khaketsoang cheletenyana e sitoang ho reka paraffin khoeli kaofela, feela Mokola le Mccd ba iphilisa ha monate, a khopo ngoana enoa oa Lehloibi. .Ho bona coalition, ho tatoe toronko li tlale masholu ana.
Comment by SEBATA on 29 January 2013:
Ha se ntho e ncha ena khale e bueha,re batla eng hantle?Ha re shebelleng feela re tla bona mohla kotulo.Ke bana ba bakae ba Basotho ba bolailoeng ke ona mapolesa a antseng are a batlisa?Che la bola Lesotho,ho setse feela hore le nyeunye liboko.
Comment by senonnori on 29 January 2013:
boralipolotiki ba tsoana kaofela bane ba re mosisili o tsamaea hosele
empa joale ba matha tseleng eo ea hae ba ntsetsa pele tema eo ae sihileng
1. they were against M400000 advance tsa mosisili
2. Empa ba iphile nnete e ho kae moo
3.koloi tse kholo tse jang mafura le theuoa neng
what m trying to say is that politicians say one thing & do the opposite
BANA BA MOSHOESHOE TLOHELANG HO NNA LE ITLATLARIETSA SHEBANANG LE MAPHELO A LONA LE INTSE BOFUMENG KA BOLONA BO MORENA BA SA NOA SOPHO
LE MALAPA A BONA BA TLATLA HO LONA HA 2017 E ATAMELA.
E MONG O NA NOA MOTOHO OA SETERATENG HA HO UOA LIKHETHONG HA SO EE HO EA REKA HAPE TODAY HA E SE E LE VIP.
CORRUPTION IS LIKE A SHADOW THTS ALWAYS BY UR SIDE IT WILL ALWAYS BE
PART AND PARCEL OF ANY GOVERNMENT.
Comment by senonnori on 29 January 2013:
BATHO bana ba na le matlo naheng engoe feela ba busa lesotho
hono ho bolela hore lesotho is just a mine for them.
they r in government to make money and leave.
Comment by molomo mosehlanyana on 29 January 2013:
naa mahlapa a lebisoang ho mohlomphehi tona kholo aka etsa hore naha le basotho rona ba lapileng hakale re boelloe hotsoa mokotleng o o ho ba’na bao batsebahalang hore ehlile banale ona ese mantloane? Joale kere hee pele hotsohle homengoe linaha tseka tsehetsang tabeng ena joalo kaha hoo etsoe rebone makhooa ase a entse lithibella litseleng hothoe bahlahloba likoloi hobane ke mapolesa atsebang haholo hofeta anaha enaa,haba bitsoe hee khetlong lena kenako ea babaholo mohlala,li hawks liteng haleseisane mono halike litlo thusa LMPS hobane libolu litseba hokatela kanako le hobaka litsitiso ebe hontse hothoe bopaki haboeafella empa empa karolo e kholo ea sechaba e ena le leseli.
Comment by Sutha on 30 January 2013:
Ke eo taba….