There are people who own dogs. Then there are dogs that apparently own the justice system.
If you have been following the saga of former IEC Commissioner Tšoeu Petlane’s German Shepherds, you may have noticed a curious pattern. The dogs seem to be moving through Lesotho’s legal landscape with far greater confidence than the average citizen. One almost expects them to arrive at the police station one day, sign the occurrence book with a paw print and leave after being thanked for their cooperation.
This is not a laughing matter, of course. A 12-year-old boy is fighting for his life in a Bloemfontein intensive care unit after being mauled by five dogs. His family is desperately raising money for treatment while the police say investigations are continuing.
What makes the matter even more disturbing is that this is reportedly not the first such tragedy linked to the same dogs at Petlane’s property. Earlier this year, another child allegedly died following an attack involving the same dogs, and that investigation is also still “ongoing”.
Now, perhaps, it can be assumed , that the perennially incompetent Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) are conducting the world’s most comprehensive investigation into canine behaviour. Perhaps forensic experts are interviewing every squirrel in Ha Matala. Perhaps they are waiting for the dogs to appoint legal counsel.
But ordinary Basotho cannot help asking an uncomfortable question: if this were an unemployed herd boy from Thaba-Tseka whose animals had allegedly killed one child and critically injured another, would he still be sleeping in his own bed while investigations “continue”?
In Lesotho, we have developed an interesting legal doctrine. Justice moves at Formula One speed when a poor man steals a chicken. But introduce influence, a respected title or a prominent surname, and suddenly justice develops arthritis.
Nobody is saying Ntate Petlane is guilty of any criminal offence. That is for investigators and ultimately the courts to determine. Everyone deserves due process. But due process should not resemble a retirement plan.
The appearance of unequal treatment is itself corrosive. It feeds the growing belief that there are two criminal justice systems in this country: one for ordinary Basotho and another for the well-connected.
Former commissioner. Former principal secretary. Former minister. Former judge. We love attaching the word “former” as if it automatically grants diplomatic immunity from inconvenience. The law, however, is supposed to recognise only one title: citizen.
Meanwhile, the real victims continue living with consequences that no legal process can erase. One family has already buried a child. Another sits anxiously beside a hospital bed in a foreign country, praying that a young boy survives devastating injuries while medical bills continue to climb.
Perhaps the biggest irony is that Ntate Petlane once served at the Independent Electoral Commission, an institution built on the principle that every citizen’s vote carries equal weight. Shouldn’t every citizen’s life carry equal weight too?
The public does not need prejudgment. It needs transparency. If there is evidence of criminal negligence, let charges be laid. If there is insufficient evidence, explain why. If more investigations are genuinely necessary, say what remains outstanding.
Justice delayed does not merely become justice denied. Sometimes, it starts barking.
Yes, it is the duty of the courts to pronounce on Ntate Petlane’s guilty or lack thereof. But surely this ought to be a straightforward matter. In South Africa, as is elsewhere, the legal rules are now already well established. The laws regarding pets have been made crystal clear. Dog owners are responsible for the behaviors of their pets. You cannot keep dangerous animals and then absolve yourself of responsibility when they misbehave and you fail to keep them under check. You are vicariously liable for the actions of your pets. No doubt, if it was in South Africa, Ntate Petlane will be behind bars. But because this is Lesotho, he can enjoy his whisky while he waits for his pets to maul the next child. What a shame!!!
The dragon’s cure for corruption
ADVOCATE Brigadier-General Mantšo Sello deserves credit for saying what many public officials carefully avoid saying: corruption remains one of Lesotho’s greatest enemies.
In his recent interview, he vowed to fight the scourge, insisting no one is above investigation and promising to strengthen accountability within the DCEO itself. Admirable words.
Now comes the difficult part.
Because fighting corruption in Lesotho is a bit like trying to empty Katse Dam with a teaspoon while politicians are busy opening more taps.
Every few months another scandal arrives. Millions disappear. Procurement goes mysteriously sideways. Audit reports resemble crime novels. PAC hearings become afternoon entertainment. A few people are suspended. Others are transferred. Some retire peacefully. Some become motivational speakers on “ethical leadership”.
Then everyone waits for the next scandal. Meanwhile, China appears to be playing an entirely different sport.
Its former Defence Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were handed suspended death sentences for corruption. Former Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian received the same fate after taking millions in bribes. Former Nanjing official Yang Youlin was sentenced to death without reprieve over a corruption scheme reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Imagine announcing that policy at a cabinet meeting in Maseru. Half the ministers would suddenly remember urgent medical appointments in South Africa. The other half would develop an overwhelming interest in farming.
Here, corruption investigations often seem to age like fine wine. Files mature beautifully. Witnesses relocate. Memories fade. Court dates multiply faster than potholes after summer rains.
By the time judgment arrives, the grandchildren of the complainant are already asking what grandpa’s case was about.
We have somehow perfected a uniquely Basotho anti-corruption formula. Firstly, express outrage, then hold press conferences, promise consequences and then forget everything until the Auditor-General publishes another horrifying report. Repeat annually.
Learn from China
If Lesotho is serious about fighting graft, it should learn from China and literally import the Chinese punishment formula. Public office is a privilege, not a licence to loot. For years, public office has resembled winning the lottery before you’ve even bought a ticket.
Perhaps our problem is not weak laws. We already have plenty. Our problem is selective courage. The small fish are easy to catch because they cannot afford expensive lawyers or political godfathers.
The sharks, however, glide elegantly through our institutions, occasionally pausing to lecture the nation about patriotism and accountability.
Ntate Sello says no one is above investigation. Good! Basotho now eagerly await the sequel. Because speeches don’t recover stolen money. Interviews don’t frighten tenderpreneurs. Promises don’t convict anyone.
Only fearless investigations, successful prosecutions, swift justice and confiscated assets do. Until then, corruption will continue treating Lesotho like its favourite all-you-can-eat buffet.
If we are to make headway against corruption, let’s import the Chinese formula and behead the corrupt. Literally of course.
Ache!!!
