…trio found liable of violating obligations to employer By Staff Reporters MASERU — Two Zimbabwean journalists, and one Mosotho, have been banned from working in the media in Lesotho for a prescribed period after the High Court found them liable for violating their legal obligations to their employer who brought them from their native country […]
Tasked with bringing development, sanity on the roads By Tsitsi Matope MASERU — A minibus taxi parks right in the middle of the highway, while another makes a U-turn in defiance of traffic regulations before speeding towards Thabong Circle to pick-up passengers. Never mind the law or width of the road at this particular spot, […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU –– Parliament was yesterday adjourned indefinitely — a move which opposition legislators criticised as a strategy to dodge a proposed no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Thomas Thabane. Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, who is leader of the House, announced the adjournment, but would not say when it would re-open. The Democratic […]
. . . MPs fight bid to block no-confidence motion By Billy Ntaote MASERU –– Parliament was yesterday adjourned indefinitely — a move which opposition legislators criticised as a strategy to dodge a proposed no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Thomas Thabane. Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, who is leader of the House, announced the adjournment, […]
By Keiso Mohloboli MASERU — The Basotho Batho Democratic Party (BBDP) leader Jeremane Ramathebane was yesterday released on M1 000 bail and M50 000 surety following his arrest on Monday. Ramathebane was arrested at his home in Mohale’s Hoek over suspected fraud and false representation of members of his political party established in December 2006. […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — Parliament’s public accounts committee wants former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili to repay the M569 315.00 government spent on the maintenance of his five camels over a period of five years. Mosisili was presented with the animals in January 2008 by then Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi. The camels were subsequently kept […]
By Boitumelo Koloi MASERU — The speaker of parliament Sephiri Motanyane this week said he could not make a decision regarding an application by a group of legislators seeking to pass a no-confidence vote on the coalition government. Motanyane said while it was allowed to form alliances in parliament, declaring principles upon which they would […]
By Bongiwe Zihlangu MASERU — The Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation deputy principal secretary, Rethabile Mosisili, who has been accused of “chronic absenteeism” by his superiors, Minister Thesele ‘Maseribane and PS Majara Molapo, has hit back by making counterclaims of his own. In a letter dated March 10 seen by the Lesotho Times […]
By Tefo Tefo MASERU — Justice Michael Ramodibedi now anxiously awaits his fate after the Court of Appeal on Monday announced it would be making its ruling in due course. The Appeal Court president is challenging government’s decision to suspend him while it institutes impeachment-proceedings against him. Ramodibedi’s argument, as presented before court by his […]
Parly wants company to return M36 million By Billy Ntaote MASERU — Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) wants the Nthane Brothers to refund government a whopping M36 million and be blacklisted from state construction jobs as punishment for substandard work. The verdict comes in the wake of the long-running dispute between the Brothers’ firm, Lesotho […]
By B Zihlangu MASERU — Democratic Congress (DC) leader Pakalitha Mosisili could make a sensational return to power if a planned no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Thomas Thabane sails through parliament tomorrow. The deputy speaker of parliament Lekhetho Rakuoane yesterday told the Lesotho Times a notification of the motion was submitted to the Speaker’s office […]
By Keiso Mohloboli MASERU –– Retired South African judge, Willem van de Merwe, is heavily tipped to be appointed Lesotho’s Chief Justice, the Lesotho Times heard this week. Highly-placed sources within the country’s judiciary said Van de Merwe would take-over from Justice Tšeliso Monaphathi, who has been acting chief justice since April 2013. The sources, […]
. . . as Soulo is booed in parliament By Keiso Mohloboli MASERU — There was drama outside parliament on Monday when communications minister Selibe Mochoboroane and All Basotho Convention (ABC) legislator Chalane Phori nearly came to blows over the mooted no-confidence motion on Prime Minister Thomas Thabane. The Lesotho Times witnessed the heated […]
By Keiso Mohloboli MASERU — Two men appeared in the Maseru Magistrate’s Court last Thursday for allegedly fleecing several companies of M6, 2 million between November and December 2012. The suspects, Morai Mosoaboli, 30, and Tefo Lefata, 42, allegedly forged some companies’ documents and subsequently misrepresented that the firms owed certain illegal and non-existing organisations. […]
By Keiso Mohloboli BEREA — The Lekokoaneng area chief ‘Masekoati Masupha and Berea police on Tuesday held a public gathering in Ha Fusi aimed at stopping livestock-herders from fighting over pasture. Masupha said Ha Ntaja, Linokong, Ha Ntsuba, Ha Mapokotsa, Litšiling and Ha Fusi residents continue to kill each other over grazing land, which she […]
. . . ‘I have no illusions about the challenges’ By Keiso Mohloboli Khothatso Tšooana, recently assumed the reins of power at the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) after his January 2014 appointment as the Commissioner of Police by King Letsie 111. At 36, he is probably one of the youngest police commissioners […]
By Letuka Chafotsa MASERU — Former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili has been without an official vehicle for a month after the car had to be taken for repairs following a breakdown. Mosisili made the revelation during his 69th birthday celebrations held at Khali Hotel last Friday, which was attended by scores of Democratic Congress (DC) […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — Law enforcement agencies on Monday attended a workshop exploring strategies and devices used by criminals engaged in electronic banking crimes in an effort to deter their prevalence of in Lesotho. Electronic banking crimes which are rampart in South Africa are now increasingly spilling across that country’s borders into […]
By Tsitsi Matope MASERU — The Officer Commanding Maseru District, Senior Superintendent Mofokeng Kolo has warned communities against taking the law into their own hands in what is notoriously referred to as mob-justice. In a wide-ranging interview with the Lesotho Times this week, Kolo emphasised mob-justice should never be an option and that […]
By Keiso Mohloboli and Billy Ntaote MASERU –– The deputy leader of the Democratic Congress (DC) Monyane Moleleki, who had been arrested yesterday afternoon, was finally released just before midnight following the intervention of Police Commissioner Khothatso Tšooana. The Lesotho Times last night witnessed a police convoy escorting Moleleki, who was in the company of […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU –– Members of parliament (MPs) are reportedly finalising a grand coalition to oust Prime Minister Thomas Thabane through a no-confidence vote, the Lesotho Times heard this week. According to sources who spoke to the Lesotho Times on condition of anonymity, the alliance comprises all the Democratic Congress (DC) MPs and some […]
By Tefo Tefo MASERU — The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF)’s Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao yesterday told his on-going court martial that the responsibility of appointing the army commander lies with the government, not individual soldiers. Mahao, who is on trial for “behaving in a manner unbecoming of an army officer”, said it was his responsibility as […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — Members of the Bakubung Burial Society — one of the clients of Phokeng Funeral Parlour (PTY) Ltd which is fighting liquidation in the courts of law — are afraid they could end up losing tens of thousands of maloti after they were told to stop paying premiums this month. According […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on the Social Cluster last week commended the Ministry of Gender’s progress report submitted to the committee last week. The Ministry initially came under fire for submitting the report late with committee members threatening to arrest the ministry’s leadership. In the end the committee praised the […]
. . . LDF launches manhunt By Bongiwe Zihlangu and Letuka Chafotsa MASERU –– Colonel Matela Matobakele — president of the court martial trying renegade soldier, Second Lieutenant Thabang Phaila — has reportedly disappeared, prompting a manhunt by the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF). According to authoritative LDF sources who spoke to the Lesotho Times […]
By Bongiwe Zihlangu and Tefo Tefo MASERU –– A military court dissolved last Wednesday following a directive from Defence Minister and Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, was reinstated this week and continues tomorrow at the Makoanyane Barracks. Thabane had reportedly dissolved the court on the basis that it was incapable of giving Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao, who […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU –– Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on the Social Cluster on Monday threatened to have the leadership of the ministry of gender arrested for failing to submit the department’s 2014/15 budget report on time. The committee’s acting Chairperson Mamoshe Limema told the ministry’s principal secretary (PS) Dr Majara Molapo, that failure to avail […]
By Tefo Tefo MASERU — The High Court has convicted Molupe Temo, 34, and Seabata Nonyana, 35, of the murder of People’s Choice FM presenter Thabang Moliko. Delivering a lengthy judgment on Tuesday, High Court judge Justice ‘Maseshophe Hlajoane said evidence linked the two men to the cold-blooded killing of the popular radio announcer. Justice […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — The All Basotho Convention (ABC) Youth League has accused the Lesotho Revenue Authority commissioner-general Thabo Letjama of victimising employees affiliated to the ABC. According to the league’s spokesperson Mphonyane Lebesa, Letjama is a member of the opposition Democratic Congress (DC) who is on a mission to rid the authority of […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — The All Basotho Convention (ABC) Youth League has declared war on media houses reporting “negatively” about the personal life of party leader and prime minister Thomas Thabane. The youths — who ended up having heated exchanges with reporters during the declaration made at a press conference held on Tuesday in […]
