THE Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) occupies one of the most important positions in Lesotho’s governance architecture.
It is the institution entrusted with investigating corruption, money laundering and complex financial crimes that have for decades deprived Basotho of development, jobs and quality public services. Its work is therefore indispensable.
But allegations contained in a recent M1.5 million damages claim against the DCEO should be investigated thoroughly. The claimant alleges that he was subjected to brutal torture during two separate interrogations before being released without ever being charged. The DCEO has strongly denied the allegations, saying its investigators were surprised by the claims and would respond formally after studying the letter from the claimant’s lawyers.
Whether the allegations are ultimately proven or dismissed is now a matter for the courts. Due process must be allowed to take its course. However, the case raises broader questions that Lesotho can no longer ignore.
The DCEO exists to investigate sophisticated financial crimes. Corruption is rarely solved through physical intimidation or aggressive interrogations. It is solved through painstaking examination of bank statements, procurement records, company registrations, tax returns, electronic communications and financial transactions. Financial crimes leave paper trails and digital footprints, not bruises.
Modern anti-corruption agencies around the world increasingly rely on forensic accountants, financial analysts, cybercrime specialists, auditors and data experts. These professionals are trained to detect suspicious transactions, reconstruct money trails and expose elaborate schemes that ordinary investigators may never identify. Lesotho should follow the same path.
The DCEO has been staffed predominantly by personnel drawn from the military and police. While many of these officers are disciplined professionals who serve the country with distinction, policing skills are fundamentally different from forensic financial investigation. A corruption investigator must understand accounting principles, procurement regulations, banking systems, asset tracing, cryptocurrency, shell companies and money-laundering techniques. These are specialised skills that cannot simply be replaced by military discipline or policing experience.
Equally worrying is the recurring perception that investigators with security-force backgrounds sometimes import policing methods into investigations that require intellectual analysis rather than coercion. Whenever allegations of torture emerge—whether against the police, correctional services or any investigative agency—they damage public confidence in institutions that depend on public cooperation.
The objective of any investigation is to discover the truth, not to extract confessions through fear or intimidation.
Indeed, evidence obtained through torture is not only morally reprehensible but also legally dangerous. It risks contaminating investigations, undermining prosecutions and exposing the state to costly civil litigation that taxpayers ultimately fund.
If investigators possess credible evidence against a suspect, they should present that evidence in court. If they require further information, the law provides numerous investigative tools—from obtaining search warrants and analysing financial records to interviewing witnesses and tracing electronic communications. There is never a lawful justification for degrading a suspect’s dignity.
The irony is that torture is often the refuge of weak investigations. Skilled investigators rely on evidence because evidence speaks for itself. Poor investigations sometimes seek shortcuts by attempting to force admissions from suspects. Such methods not only violate constitutional rights but frequently fail to produce reliable evidence.
The DCEO should aspire to become Africa’s leading financial crimes agency, not an institution associated—fairly or unfairly—with allegations of brutality.
That transformation begins with its human resources. The agency should aggressively recruit chartered accountants, certified auditors, forensic accountants, economists, information technology specialists, cyber investigators, tax experts and banking professionals. These experts should work alongside experienced investigators to build multidisciplinary teams capable of dismantling sophisticated corruption networks.
Corruption today is increasingly complex. Money moves across borders within seconds. Assets are hidden behind trusts, shell companies and digital currencies. No amount of physical intimidation can unravel these schemes. Only technical expertise can.
The DCEO is fortunate that its Director General, Advocate Brigadier General Mantšo Sello, is both a lawyer and a military officer. His legal training places upon him an even greater responsibility to ensure that every investigation conducted under his leadership complies fully with the Constitution and the laws of Lesotho.
As a senior advocate, he understands that suspects retain their constitutional rights regardless of the allegations against them. The presumption of innocence remains one of the cornerstones of our justice system. Human dignity is not suspended because an individual has been called in for questioning.
Leadership is ultimately measured not only by successful prosecutions but also by the standards maintained while pursuing them.
Adv Sello therefore has an opportunity to reinforce a culture of professionalism within the DCEO—one where investigators understand that respect for human rights strengthens, rather than weakens, the fight against corruption.
He should ensure that every officer under his command is trained continuously in constitutional rights, lawful interviewing techniques and ethical investigative practices. Any credible allegation of misconduct should be investigated independently and transparently, not dismissed reflexively.
Public confidence is the DCEO’s greatest asset. Citizens are more likely to report corruption, cooperate with investigations and testify in court when they trust investigators to act fairly and professionally.
Lesotho desperately needs a strong anti-corruption agency. Corruption continues to drain scarce public resources while ordinary Basotho struggle with unemployment, poor services and widespread poverty.
But the fight against corruption must never become a fight against the Constitution. Justice obtained through unlawful means is neither justice nor victory.
The DCEO’s mission is too important to be undermined by allegations of abuse. It should invest in forensic excellence, scientific investigation and legal professionalism rather than any approach that creates the impression of coercion. Corruption is defeated through evidence, expertise and integrity—not fear.
Time up for Lekhanya