ALLIANCE of Democrats (AD) youth league president Thuso Litjobo
Pascalinah Kabi
ALLIANCE of Democrats (AD) youth leader, Thuso Litjobo, has accused security bosses of plotting his assassination, saying this would only serve to expose their dark secrets to the public.
Mr Litjobo said he had been arrested several times and tortured by the police for his active role in exposing the highly publicised government fleet services tender with South African company Bidvest Bank Limited which has cost the government millions of maloti.
Two months ago, Finance Minister Tlohang Sekhamane announced the cancellation of the controversial vehicle fleet services contract with effect from 1 April 2017 although the ministry has now indicated the contract will only be terminated at the end of this month.
Mr Sekhamane had admitted that the South African financial institution had milked government of millions of maloti and said the bills were spiraling to a point where it was difficult to pay them off.
The government initially awarded Bidvest a six-month contract to run the government fleet from 1 October 2015 to 31 March 2016 after the expiry of the government’s fleet management contract with Avis.
The government had promised to exclude Bidvest from any new tender to find a new fleet management firm to replace Avis.
However, the government cancelled the tender process, preferring instead to enter a new long-term contract with Bidvest, which had not bid for the tender as earlier agreed in light of its enjoyment of the six month contract.
And Mr Litjobo alleged that police commissioner Molahlehi Letsoepa, army commander, Khoantle Motšomotšo, Lesotho Correctional Service commissioner, ‘Matefo Makhaleme and National Security Service (NSS) Director, Major General Tumo Lekhooa were victimising him because they knew that “I am telling the truth”.
“I am supposed to be a victim because I stand by the truth and they will not rest until I am dead because they know I am telling the truth,” Mr Litjobo said.
“These people know that I know their deepest secrets and they are running scared that one day I will wake up and decide to tell their secrets to the whole world. This is why they are victimising me.
“Killing me will not shut up me up. It will instead bring a can of worms. I have audios in safe-keeping and once I get killed, the audios will be released for the whole world to know their secrets.”
Asked to reveal these secrets, Mr Litjobo said the timing was not right.
“But I can tell you that police commissioner Letsoepa, who is at the forefront of my victimisation, knows very well that I worked hard to ensure that he was appointed police commissioner. Secret meetings discussing his appointment were held at my own place with him and other people present,” Mr Litjobo said.
However, Commissioner Letsoepa rubbished Mr Litjobo’s claims, saying he had never set foot at the latter’s house.
“God is my witness, the truth of the matter is that I have never set foot at ntate Litjobo’s place and I don’t even know where he stays.
“However, for the first time in my life I will approach my legal representation because this is so defaming,” Commissioner Letsoepa said.
For his part, Lesotho Defense Force public relations officer, Brigadier Ntlele Ntoi said the army was mandated by law to protect the country and its people, adding victimisation was not part of their mandate.
“The fact that he is failing to give you facts and evidence pertaining to this purported victimisation makes it harder for me to even comment further. But the LDF is not in the business of victimising our people and I know for sure that our sister services are not mandated to victimise people,” Brigadier Ntoi said.
LCS Public Relations Officer, Neo Mopeli did not call back to give comment after promising to do so.
