Orphanage owner in court
MASERU — Rachel’s Children’s Home caretaker, ’Masalemone Molale, 39, appeared in the Hlotse Magistrates’ Court yesterday to answer charges of contravening the Child ren’s Protection and Welfare Act.
The prosecution accuses Molale of physically and emotionally harming 42 children who lived at the orphanage, situated in
Maputsoe about 80 kilometres north of Maseru.
Molale, who was not asked to plead, is out on M1 000 bail.
Speaking in an earlier interview this week, Molale explained how heavily armed police stormed the orphanage in a movie-style raid last week.
She said a band of 15 police officers arrived at the orphanage without notice and started taking the children’s belongings from their cabinets while ordering the children to get into a waiting bus.
She said the police assaulted her when she tried to tell them that her application to stop the Ministry of Social Development from closing the orphanage was in court.
“A police officer hit me with the butt of a gun and pushed me when I tried to block him from entering one of the rooms,” Molale said.
“They said I should release the children because they were taking them away.”
Molale said she had refused to release the children to the armed police and social development employees because her lawyer, whom she had called, advised her not to.
“He said I should tell them that the court was still working on my application for a court order,” she said.
“However, they did not listen to me. They went on to take the children’s clothes from the closets before hurrying them into a white bus bearing a government registration number.”
She said the police then ordered her to go with them to the Maputsoe police station.
“I was surprised when they wanted me to come with them because they had already taken the children. But I said I would follow them in my car,” she said.
She said she was walking towards her car when she realised that two policewomen were following her.
“They stopped me from entering the car and said I had to join them in the bus.”
She said while she was sending text messages to her co-workers her two mobile phones were confiscated from her.
“Two female police officers strangled me when I refused to hand over my phones. They did that right in front of my children,” she said.
At Maputsoe police station they were referred to Hlotse police station.
“I was charged with human trafficking and contempt of court. I was then taken to Pitseng Police Station and locked up there. I spent three nights and was released on Saturday.
“They said I had hid some of the children. That is not true because we had sent younger boys and girls to Mahobong where they were going to participate in the Moshoeshoe’s Day activities. They had spent the night over at one orphanage and were still to be collected later that day.”
Molale said she was not expecting this “rough treatment” from government officials after she held a meeting with officials from the social development ministry.
The officials, she said, told her bluntly that they were going to take the children away but she says she never expected that she would be harassed and embarrassed in front of the children.
Molale said the Ministry of Social Development could have handled the matter in a better way.
“They should have come to discuss their concerns with us before taking the children away like that. There was no inspection of any sort. The home was closed by force of arms. That should not have happened.
“No one has told us where they took my children. I am worried about them. I have their best interest at heart. I have been doing this for the past 10 years. I was giving them the best life I could,” she said.
Meanwhile, another orphanage run by the Ministry of Insured Salvation has also been closed and the children have been sent to three children’s homes in Mohale’s Hoek and Mafeteng.
Efforts to contact Social Development Minister ’Matebatso Doti were not successful at the time of going to print.
Comment by Academic on 14 March 2013:
This story is bias, you tried to make this woman look good and innocent but she’s being charged with ”physically and emotionally harming 42 orphaned children”
Comment by moleko on 14 March 2013:
Ao chehe lesotho time le nna i agree story is biased you had so many options to try and prove the ladies allegations 1.could have Min of SW officials about this 2. Maputsoe police 3. asked court official about the case so lona wat ever an individual say se le ephatlalatsa hmmm
Comment by Tlhase on 14 March 2013:
Does this woman want to be arrested in her OWN car? Absolute nonsense! If the police come to collect you, you don’t have the leisure to collect your favorite suit from the dry cleaners, sort our house chores and take a bath. You simply surrender yourself to the police. The fact that she wanted to drive her own car is just plain crazy! And again, if the police officers had a right to seize property or the children, how can they be prevented from doing so simply because she has a case in court. No, without a court order in her possession, she had no right to stop the police, warrant officers from executing their duties. She must be crazy hence why she’s been abusing the young ones.
Comment by LEKHOARA on 14 March 2013:
Lintlha tse ngata tsa story sena ha lia hlaka, empa ketso ea sepolesa ka ho phetha morero ba nkile lithunya le ho khama mosali mahlong a bana ke abuse ka bo eona feela. Sepolesa sa rona setla ruteha khale….he batho ba lumela ho likhoka bana!
Comment by Mofo on 14 March 2013:
I stayed next to the orphanage from 2003 up till 2010. I am a witness to the physical abuse the woman did to the poor kids. When she first arrived there (because she found me already staying) she made disputes about the borders of her side, she closed some passages that people used for no reason at all. The was a passageway which the local chief said she shouldnt close, realizing that she lost the battle, she told the kids to dump all kinds of rubbish along that making it unwalkable and it eventually got closed by vegetation. For nothing. As for kids, I saw her once whipping a kid so badly we felt we had to intervene and the treatment still continues. Sometimes she instils ill disciplined children by denying them sometimes for the whole day. All the villagers there are a witness to these. Children sleep in classrooms but we saw white people arrive there to make fittings for beds and indoor toilets. Ke hopola sehloho sa ha ke bona ngoana ea bo lemo li 2 a ea toilet hoseng hoa bo 6 a fihla a lula setene se letseng serame ka litono, oee! Ne ke cho ka re molimo o tla arabela thapelo tsa rona. ‘Me enoa o khopo. Go out on the fact finding mission in that village (Mats’oaneng) to prove me right.
Comment by Mofo on 14 March 2013:
I stayed next to the orphanage from 2003 up till 2010. I am a witness to the physical abuse the woman did to the poor kids. When she first arrived there (because she found me already staying) she made disputes about the borders of her site, she closed some passages that people used for no reason at all. The was a passageway which the local chief said she shouldnt close, realizing that she lost the battle, she told the kids to dump all kinds of rubbish along that making it unwalkable and it eventually got closed by vegetation. For nothing. As for kids, I saw her once whipping a kid so badly we felt we had to intervene and the treatment still continues. Sometimes she instils ill disciplined children by denying them food sometimes for the whole day. All the villagers there are a witness to these. Children sleep in classrooms but we saw white people arrive there to make fittings for beds and indoor toilets. Ke hopola sehloho sa ha ke bona ngoana ea bo lemo li 2 a ea toilet hoseng hoa bo 6 a fihla a lula setene se letseng serame ka litono, oee! Ne ke cho ka re molimo o tla arabela thapelo tsa rona. ‘Me enoa o khopo. Go out on the fact finding mission in that village (Mats’oaneng) to prove me right.
Comment by Bobete on 14 March 2013:
Taba ena ea mahae a bana e hloka ho shejoa hantle. E se ka batho ba batla ho iphelisa ka lkhutsana hobane ba fumana liphallelo fela bona ba sa ts’oare bana hantle.
Comment by Lulu on 14 March 2013:
Ache lets wait for the Ministry to respond tabeng tsena tasa Mahae.On Press Confrence on Monday @ Health Head Quaters. Re utloe hore na bareng haba ikarabella. Hore na bakoetse Mahae kapa chee, le hore na hotlo qetella ho etsa etseng ka bana, se sosa sa hore bana ba qetelletseng ba tluile le hae. And the wayfoward.
Comment by lIETA on 15 March 2013:
haele ee ea doti eona!retlake re ebone na etla fella kaee.motho oa bo teng ha qala a etsoa letona o ikekeletsa matla. che batho ha ba rate matla le khale!
Comment by MOLISE on 15 March 2013:
THE ORPHANAGE JUST MOVED TO MATSOANENG IN 2007 AND IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT SINCE 2003 CHECK AGAIN AND PLEASE TELL THE TRUTH BECAUSE I WORKED THERE AND THAT WOMAN LOVES THOSE CHILDREN SO MUCH AND SHE IS WORKING VERY HARD TO LOOK AFTER THEM.ARE YOU AWARE THAT ONE WOMAN FROM PITSENG FOUND A CHILD ONE DAUY AND TOOK RTHE CHILD TO SOCIAL DEV,AND BEUTIFUL GATE WAS FUL ,BUT NOT RACHEL AND THE LERIBE CHILD WELFARE OFFICER TOLD THE LADY TO KEEP THE CHILD TILL THERE IS SPACE AT BEUTIFUL GATE BECAUSE THEY ONLE TAKE HOPLES AND MULNOURISHED CHILDREN TO RACHELS.TODAY THE CHILDREN ARE WELL FED AND HEALTY AND YOU ARE TAKING THEM.HOW CAN POLICE POINT GUNS INFRONT OF CHILDREN
Comment by mathabo on 15 March 2013:
Rele sechaba sa leribe rere lehae leo kela rona ke ka hona re neng re tletse khotla Rachele hae buloe ho tlohello mantloane ana antseng a etsoa .Bana ba rona bakeke ba holisetsoa maseru ,amfeteng le mohales hoek re ntse rele teng.Lehae larona hale buloe
Comment by Thabang on 15 March 2013:
ke emong oa bana ba holisitsoeng ke mama,hoja kene kele teng kene ke sa tlo lumellana le tsena tse etsahetseng rachel ke heso how can you close my home,where would i call home ,i am a grown man and well off i want that for my brothers and sisters also
Comment by Thabelang Pule on 15 March 2013:
Why a squard of 15 armed police officers would be sent to close an orphanage owned by a woman? Was closing it down realy of best interest of the children? Did Leribe social welfare not sent children there? Was this the first time this orphanage charged with ill treatmen? Well, let us just be critical people. This orphanage was a disaster, I once worked there as a voluntary social worker! I could not hold it, I just disappeared for a could see that my proffesion was at stake. I know Rachels well and in support of its closure, but not in this way!
Comment by LEO-TY on 16 March 2013:
Re kopa hore mahae ‘ohle a likhutsana a privatised a koaloe beng ba ona ba shebile ho ithuisa ka likhutsana feela ba sa tsotelle likhutsana . Le eona ena ea molale e-ea utloahala hore ke maholi a patile maeba le hoja Motlalehi a lekile ho pata the real content , but we are not stupid . We are able to weigh the isssues until we get the hidden facts .
Comment by thandi on 16 March 2013:
i am not convinced about some commands that some people are making in this sensative issue , i am working at rachels and every day i was there i have seen molale with the children,she has a magical approach that non of us understood and i believe that she has a gift from god and a calling that no man can ever take .She does not deserve this kind of treatment and i wish her all the best with all court cases.
Comment by tn hamaqele on 16 March 2013:
i am a child raise by me Hilda and i am a professional ….. now and i also work at rachels during my spare time i know all the volunteers that works or worked at my home and none of them by that name when did you work and dissapear? be honest and support the good work she is doing.
are you aware that not even the chief knows about the closure,do you still think this was for the best interest of the children or certain group of people. I am dissapointed!!!!!!!!1
Comment by tsoani on 16 March 2013:
ao mamolale ,molimo are bolokele uena ,a boloke bana bao barona mohaung oa hae.rea tseba o ba holiselitse tsabong le leratong la molimo. be blessed and fear not!
Comment by sisbenny on 18 March 2013:
Some of you people have no idea of wat the kids were going through there but are busy saying lots of things.Its high time facilities like Rachels face the music,government has been way too linient with this people while enriching themselves at the expense of vulnerable kids.Well Ministry of Social Development.
Comment by sisbenny on 18 March 2013:
Some of you people have no idea of wat the kids were going through there but are busy saying lots of things.Its high time facilities like Rachels face the music,government has been way too linient with this people while enriching themselves at the expense of vulnerable kids.Well done Ministry of Social Development.
Comment by Jaddy on 19 March 2013:
Not in favour *she is my aunt and for the time ive been there kannete batho ke kopa nnete mme eeo never treated bana hantle ka nnete **ke leboha ha Molimo o thusitse hore bana bao ba pholohe moo kannete baka ratang hotla bona seo ke se bolelang bampe ba tlo kopa ho ba bona ka mona ka Beautiful gate ba o tla moea batlohetse spirit.nna ke thabile sefapano i dnt wana lie.o na sa sa tsebe botho keng any way bophelo ke lebili aha hake tshehe empa Molimo oa kokobetsa hao iphahamisa joalo ka eena.
Comment by thabi on 22 March 2013:
i think peoaple are not fair they have not been thre through it all and they saying nasty things any way i have been patr of rachels ani am the first social worker who volunteerde there for quite sometime i know what i saw,this woman does not deserve this and i have also been following up the foundations that i laid and know all the social workers who worked there after me they were all there for sometime and thabelang pule is not one of them.if she has been ther she should have reported and not runaway and i hate it when one is lying to be a social worker when is not.
Comment by k k maama on 22 March 2013:
be honest in all you are saying and dont destroy lives inthe process if you have anything against these hero who dedicated her life do help the needy say it in court becourse i know that this ia not true she is a hard worker and i bless her
Comment by more on 22 March 2013:
haeba o bitsitsoe ke molimo lefatse lekeke la o thoholetsa joalo feela ka Christ keep it up and o tsebe hore olehlohonolo ha baohlorisetsa hoetsa botle
Comment by moruti on 22 March 2013:
we are with you the servant of God ,we isee politics inthis not God and no one can close what God has opened,be stong and know that we are praying for those who did this to you becuase our God is above all powers and he can not let our children tobe raised by chinise read matt 18. and i pray that to them
Comment by thabi on 22 March 2013:
na lipampiri li netefatsa batho ba ngotseng moo ? haeba haha joalo ke kopa le etse joalo hobane babang ba batho ba ngotgeng mona haba bue nnete baleshano.
Comment by mamosa on 22 March 2013:
Mamolale is going places now that her vission is beeing challenged ,keep it up girl and as strong as you are we know that you will make it.ha ho ea ka koalang moo mlimo a butseng ,ea etsang hoo o pheha khab=ng le molimo
Comment by lebo on 22 March 2013:
what it to to develop? i think to develop is to better what is there(ho matlafatsa kapa ho ntlafatsa),not to closedown or distruct,has the social development tried to give enough support to develop the good work that was started by our basotho men and women? i was expecting develpment not this and i also believe that basotho have the right to raise their own children not foreigners to hire basotho to raise basotho children.where are we going are we going to depend on chinese to start businesses,projects and even orphanages! think again people let us be independant and support our own people.
how do you close an orphanage that was started 30 years ago and 10 years ago and not develop it for the best and take their children to the chinese.
what do you understand by indiginous people doing it for themslves,do you want to chane the culture,believes and gods.look back and think of Lesotho and basotho first. Ithhink the government did not think of eakhutla naha.
Comment by Phamola on 23 March 2013:
Che oele Basotho le rata mejo
Comment by Thakane on 25 March 2013:
Che khale ke emetse ona motsotso, ke thabile hona hoo. motho ea lulang mono can never know hidden issues about the agency. fela kere molao ha o ke o sebetse. Re khathetse ke batho bana ba etsang chelete ka bana. Kena le lintho tseo nka lipakang ka agency tsena tse peli. Nnete ha e bolae. child labour, abuse;physical and emotional and many other things tseo ke lumelang ho no sa hlokahale lipoisano mono le eena o oa tseba. mapolesa ano a entse mosebetsi o tsoileng matsoho.