… ComPol accused of shielding “favourites” from prosecution
…But top cop dismisses allegations as “a lie”
Mohloai Mpesi
SOME police officers say they are unhappy with their boss, Police Commissioner Advocate Borotho Matsoso, over his failure to charge six police officers accused of murdering an inmate in Quthing.
They now accuse their boss of “selective handling” of criminal cases involving police officers to protect what they describe as his “favourites”. They complain that the six have not been charged almost a year after a directive was issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions that they be taken to court. This was because some of the six accused were the police boss’s allies.
But Advocate Matsoso has rejected the allegations, declaring that he has no “allies” nor “favourites” in the police force. He merely does his job as expected and anyone that must be charged will be charged, he insisted.
Sources at Police Headquarters have nonetheless told the Lesotho Times that some senior officers are getting increasingly frustrated with Advocate Matsoso’s conduct, accusing him of dragging certain officers to court while protecting others with whom he is allegedly close.
For instance, he allegedly ignored directives from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Hlalefang Motinyane’s Office to prosecute these “favoured” individuals.
The Lesotho Times was shown the directive styled Inquiry into the death of Retšepile Moeletsi, from the DPP’s office, signed by one Advocate T. Mokuku and dated 8 July 2024, instructing the police to have the six police officers implicated in the murder of a suspect to be taken to court.
“Having perused the above referenced matter, it is directed that the following be remanded and tried on a charge of murder of Ketšepile Moeletsi.
“No.49983 Senior Inspector Tshabalala, No.49040 Sub-Inspector Kikine, No.57132 Police Constable Sekopo, No.76345 Detective Police Constable Moshabe, No.11216 Senior Inspector Lethoko and No.52728 Detective Inspector Nkeane. Docket returned (to police),” the memo read.
This directive to charge these six had been “ignored” by the police boss nearly one year on, the sources said.
A senior officer based at Police Headquarters, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Lesotho Times that Adv Matsoso was increasingly being seen as shielding his inner circle — an act that is sowing deep divisions within the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS).
“There is a growing perception that the Commissioner is protecting his close allies while throwing others under the bus,” the source alleged.
“One glaring example is this case in Quthing, where a suspect named Moeletsi was killed while in police custody. Six officers were involved in the arrest and subsequent fatal assault, but to this day, none of them have been charged — even though a clear directive exists.”
The officers expressed outrage over what they described as double standards in how justice was being administered within the police force.
“This selective application of the law is creating serious tension among officers. Look at what’s happening in Leribe — officers like Makotoko and others have been dragged before the courts for allegedly killing suspects. Even high-ranking figures like Deputy Commissioner Makharilele are being charged. So why are these six officers from Quthing being protected? Why the silence?”
Contacted for comment, the fuming Adv Borotho denied protecting any police officers, insisting that the docket had been returned to the DPP’s office, instead.
“Go back to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to find out where the docket is. It was returned to her office. Call her, she will explain its whereabouts. It is under her jurisdiction, so I will not comment on why it was sent back.
“It is not true that this matter has caused tension at Police Headquarters — that is a lie. There is no tension here; that is just a false alarm. If someone needs to be charged, they will be, regardless of who might be upset.
“I do not have the records with me at the moment to confirm exactly when the docket was returned to the DPP, but I can assure you it is there.
“These are internal matters between the police and the DPP’s office, and they have not been made public. I am not at liberty to discuss them with you,” Adv Matsoso said.
DPP Motinyane could not be reached for comment as she is currently attending a workshop in Zambia.
However, the Lesotho Times has been reliably informed by a veteran prosecutor that after police investigations, a docket is handed over to the Office of the DPP for her to study it and issue a directive to charge. Thereafter the docket is returned to the police for them to take suspect(s) to court to be arraigned. That seems to contradict Adv Matsoso’s claims that the docket has been returned to DPP’s office.
The former Leribe Criminal Investigation Division (CID) boss Superintendent (Supt) Mabohlokoa Makotoko and her seven subordinates stand accused of the 2019 murder of three suspects while in police custody.
The three were suspected robbers who sustained serious injuries while allegedly resisting lawful arrest. One of them allegedly died during an exchange of gunfire with the police, while the other two succumbed to their injuries while in custody.
On the other hand, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sera Makharilele faces three counts of defeating or interfering with the course of justice, stemming from allegations that he provided misleading information to forensic auditors probing a massive M32 million fraud case at Lerotholi Polytechnic.
He appeared before Magistrate ’Mamorojele Qoo on 27 May 2025, but his arraignment was deferred after he raised a legal objection about the validity of the charges.
