Moroke Sekoboto
HIS Majesty King Letsie III is expected to pardon at least 240 inmates this year to mark the 200th anniversary of the Basotho nation’s existence.
Nthati Moorosi, the Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation, made the announcement during a government media briefing yesterday at the Lesotho Television studios.
“As part of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the Basotho nation, the cabinet has decided to release 240 inmates on parole. This action symbolises compassion towards the people and supports rehabilitation efforts,” Minister Moorosi said.
She reiterated, “A total of 240 inmates will receive pardons as part of commemorating 200 years since the founding of the Basotho nation. This will be carried out by His Majesty based on the advice from the Pardons Committee.”
King Letsie III has previously exercised his constitutional prerogative to grant pardons on various occasions, such as royal celebrations or in recognition of prisoners’ rehabilitation progress.
For instance, 65 inmates were released during the King’s birthday celebrations in 2021. Similarly, in 2011, 54 prisoners were freed under a general amnesty for the King’s 48th birthday, with the Pardons Committee reviewing each case for readiness for reintegration.
These pardons are made in accordance with the Constitution of Lesotho, involving careful consideration of individual circumstances and inmates’ potential for reintegration into society.
When contacted for comment yesterday, the Minister of Justice and Law, Richard Ramoeletsi, confirmed that selected inmates would be pardoned.
Mr Ramoeletsi explained that the Pardons Committee, which advises the King, was recently established by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which makes appointments on the King’s behalf. He noted that the committee’s members had already been selected.
“We have just constituted a Pardons Committee, which had ceased to exist for some years when we assumed governmental power in 2022,” Mr Ramoeletsi said.
According to Mr Ramoeletsi, the Pardons Committee had already completed its task of identifying inmates eligible for the King’s pardon.
“The list of individuals recommended for pardon has already been submitted to the King. The King also retains the right to use his discretion to remove some names from that list,” he added.
“The committee has finished its work after evaluating those prisoners and has provided a list to the King, from which he will select those he deems eligible for pardon,” Mr Ramoeletsi said.
Asked about the criteria used to assess prisoners for the King’s Pardon, Mr Ramoeletsi explained that the Pardons Committee applied its own discretion, guided by specific guidelines formulated before the selection process began.
“This committee uses its independent discretion and operates free from any undue influence. Even I, as the responsible minister, am unaware of their identities and have never met them,” Mr Ramoeletsi said.
“I had wished to meet and speak with them but was informed that this was not possible because they are a special committee chosen for a specific role. I understood that they needed to be allowed to carry out their work without interference,” he added.
