- Scrutator salutes Chief Justice Sakoane for restoring order in Lesotho’s chaotic judiciary
- If Justice Sakoane Formed a Party, He’d Have My Vote
If Chief Justice Sakoane ever decided to form a political party, Scrutator would be the first to sign up — not because of blind loyalty, but because he’s the only public official in Lesotho who actually gets things done. In a nation drowning in mediocrity and sloth, he stands tall — a man who insists that justice delayed is not only just denied, but downright disgraceful.
While our politicians are busy quarrelling over who sits closer to the buffet table at State House functions, Sakoane is quietly running a one-man revolution in the judiciary. He’s doing what no politician dares to do: demanding competence, enforcing discipline, and — horror of horrors — expecting judges to actually work.
Take the latest case of Justice ’Maseforo Mahase. The once fearsome “Queen of Case Allocation/Parody Acting Chief Justice” has finally been told to go home and reflect on her life choices. Her suspension is not just a long overdue act of mercy to litigants; it’s a clear signal that the days of lazy, self-serving judges are over. For too long, Mahase treated the judiciary as her personal chessboard — moving cases around to suit her interests and those of her friends.
When Sakoane introduced his now-famous 90-day rule — requiring judges to deliver judgments within three months — the lazy brigade protested as if he had asked them to dig trenches. Some judges seemed genuinely shocked that writing judgments was part of their job. Mahase, true to form, ignored the rule with the same enthusiasm she once displayed when picking fights with Justice Kananelo Mosito. Who could forget their epic feud? It was less about law and more like an episode of “Judges Behaving Badly.”
Now the Chief Justice has done what needed doing: shown her the door and sent her before a tribunal. In Lesotho, where accountability is rarer than a pothole-free road, this is nothing short of revolutionary.
To his credit, Sakoane has never been afraid of confrontation. Yes, he’s got a temper that could wake the dead, and yes, he occasionally thunders like an angry headmaster. But when you’re surrounded by indolence, a little thunder is what’s needed to shake the rafters. The man is not running a kindergarten — he’s trying to resuscitate a judiciary that has spent decades in a coma.
Yes, he sometimes roars, but even Moses had to raise his voice to part the Red Sea.
Ntate Sakoane inherited a bench riddled with ghosts: judges who vanished from court for months, others who couldn’t produce a single judgment for years. Some, like the departed Justice Tseliso Monapathi, left without finishing their work, only to sue the Chief Justice for withholding their benefits. Imagine the audacity: failing to do your job and still demanding a retirement cake. If Lesotho had a Ministry of Nerve, these people would qualify for lifetime achievement awards.
Scrutator would often see Judge Monapathi every lunch hour munching half done lamb chops with a glass of something inebriating at Ulala. I often wondered when he actually got time to write judgments. Now my fears stand fully vindicated.
Justice Keketso Moahloli also fled before facing a tribunal for failing to deliver over 100 judgments, in what appeared to a “judicial jailbreak.”
He left the bench faster than a cat fleeing a bath, leaving behind a trail of undelivered justice.
Thank God, the days of judicial incompetence are over. Ntate Sakoane is having none of it. He has introduced a new work ethic, unheard of in Lesotho.
He’s brought in new court rules to speed up cases, tightened administrative oversight, and — most importantly — restored a measure of public faith in the system. For the first time in years, lawyers and litigants are whispering the unthinkable: that the courts might actually function.
Of course, he’s made enemies along the way. Any man who enforces standards in a land addicted to shortcuts will. The gossip corridors are already buzzing — claims that he’s “too strict,” “too outspoken,” “too controlling.” But tell me, dear reader, when was the last time anyone complained that Lesotho had too much discipline?
Mahase’s downfall was a long time coming. Her tenure was a masterclass in chaos — from the infamous Nqosa Mahao cases, where she played political referee rather than judge, where she openly favoured Ntate Motsoahae, to the unseemly spectacle of her presiding over matters while her own husband faced robbery allegations. The optics alone were catastrophic, yet she carried on with the serenity of a saint who saw no evil.
And by the way, whatever happened to that infamous robbery case involving Judge Mahase’s husband? In any normal, functioning country, the mere fact that a sitting judge’s spouse and son are accused of stealing money meant for poor pensioners would have been a scandal that refuses to die until justice is done. But, of course, this is Lesotho — a country where scandals are like morning dew: they sparkle briefly in the headlines, then evaporate before anyone is held accountable.
Now Mme Mahase faces her day of reckoning, and rightly so. Ntate Sakoane’s move is not just about one errant judge; it’s about restoring the soul of the judiciary. If he succeeds, he might just achieve what no prime minister, past or present, has managed — a government institution that actually works.
Scrutator has no illusions. The Chief Justice is not perfect. He has the temperament of a storm cloud and the patience of a man forced to share a taxi with Machesetsa Mofomobe. But he is principled, fearless, and, above all, allergic to nonsense. In this swamp of mediocrity, that makes him a national treasure.
So, here’s a modest proposal: if Lesotho ever tires of its parade of political clowns, perhaps it’s time to draft Ntate Sakoane into politics. Imagine Parliament with him as Speaker — half the MPs would resign within a week to avoid being publicly schooled on decorum and logic. The others would finally learn to read their briefing notes. Imagine him being Prime Minister? For the first time ever, Lesotho might actually get a plan on how to build an efficient, industrial economy and a prosperous country (Singapore style)
For now, Scrutator will settle for this: a judiciary led by a man who believes that the law should serve the people — not the powerful, not the corrupt, and certainly not the indolent. So yes, if Ntate Sakoane formed a party tomorrow, he’d have my vote.
Ache!!!
