. . . as reverend is accused of insulting LDF and Mosisili
Lekhetho Ntsukunyane
ROMAN Catholic Church (RCC) Reverend Father Tlali Phoohlo has been interrogated by a joint army and police team over allegations he lambasted Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, his wife ’Mathato and the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) during a sermon he held last month, the Lesotho Times has learnt.
The interrogation comes in the wake of a complaint lodged by the Dr Mosisili-led Democratic Congress (DC) to the Christian Council of Lesotho (CCL) over Rev Fr Phoohlo’s 14 May 2017 sermon.
In the letter of complaint, Rev Fr Phoohlo is accused claiming, during the sermon at the Saint Vincent RCC Mission in Ha Matala, Maseru, that Pope Francis gave funds to Lesotho “but Dr Mosisili used the money to increase the salary of his wife”.
Rev Fr Phoohlo is also accused of saying the LDF was “a corrupt entity together with the Mosisili-led government”.
The Lesotho Times visited Rev Fr Phoohlo this week at Our Ladies RCC Mission in Roma, where he is stationed, with the cleric confirming the developments but refusing to give further details “because of legal implications.”
Rev Fr Phoohlo told this paper he was stationed at Our Ladies RCC Mission but visited St Vincent on 14 May 2017 where he conducted the sermon.
“But I will not comment on any details about this matter because of legal implications,” he said.
However, the publication has since learnt that Rev Fr Phoohlo was visited and interrogated by two senior police officers and one high ranking army officer on Wednesday last week.
Contacted for comment yesterday, police spokesperson, Superintendent Clifford Molefe, told the Lesotho Times he was making inquiries on the matter, “because it has not come to the attention of my office as yet.”
For his part, the LDF’s head of public affairs, Brigadier Ntlele Ntoi, yesterday refused to comment on the matter, merely saying “it was unfounded.”
The Lesotho Times is in possession of a copy of the letter of complaint the DC sent to the CCL over Rev Fr Phoohlo’s sermon.
Dated 22 May 2017 and signed by DC Secretary-General Semano Sekatle, part of the letter reads: “Please allow me, to great you in the name of God, Almighty Jesus Christ.
“It is with great humility that, as a political party during this election period, we found ourselves compelled to lodge the above complaint against a man of God Rev Father Tlali Phoohlo of the Catholic Church in Lesotho. The latter is a member of your esteemed organisation, the Christian Council of Lesotho.”
Mr Sekatle says Rev Fr Phoohlo cast “serious aspersions” over Dr Mosisili and his wife.
“. . . during the service which started around 07:30am to 10:30am (Rev Fr Phoohlo) casted serious aspersions against our leader Dr Pakalitha Mosisili and his wife ’M’e ’Mathato Mosisili.
“He portrayed them as corrupt individuals and urged members of his congregation not to vote for the Democratic Congress. What was most disturbing was the allegation that, ‘The Pope has given Lesotho funds to develop Lesotho, but Dr Mosisili used the money to increase the salary of his wife’.”
This allegation, Mr Sekatle observes, is “absurd and very disturbing”. “Father Phoohlo did not even produce evidence to this fact. The question (is) why did these negative attacks against our leader and his wife become a sermon of his church?”
Mr Sekatle, who is also Development Planning minister, further accuses Rev Fr Phoohlo of lambasting the LDF.
He says the priest portrayed the LDF “as a corrupt entity together with the Mosisili led government”.
“All these unfortunate statements were uttered behind the pulpit and before Christians who are law abiding citizens,” says Mr Sekatle, adding that the DC was also a member of Catholic community.
“We appeal to CCL to intervene and rein to order Father Phoohlo (and) maybe others as well, to desist from these unfortunate insinuations.
“We want to state categorically that ’M’e ’Mathato to us is a respectable parent and citizen. We cannot accept her name to be abused by anybody, let alone by Father Phoohlo. We will very much appreciate your intervention in this matter.”
Repeated efforts to get a comment from CCL Secretary-General Khosi Makubakube were unsuccessful as his mobile phone was unreachable.
