News

BEREA – Two relatives of the late ‘Mapaulosi Marou who was burnt to death for alleged witchcraft two weeks ago have fled their home in Sehlabeng after villagers threatened to kill them as well. Marou, 54, together with ‘Malitséoane Lefaphane, also 54, were burnt to death after villagers accused them of bewitching 18-year-old Paseka Makhanyane. […]

MASERU -Youth, Sports and Recreation minister Mathabiso Lepono was almost reduced to tears after National University of Lesotho (NUL) students heckled the vice-chancellor at the official opening for the Intervarsity Games on Monday. Trouble started when the master of ceremony called the vice chancellor Adelani Ogunrinade to deliver his speech to officially open the games. […]

MASERU – The opposition Basotho National Party (BNP) party was on Tuesday thrown into fresh turmoil after five suspended officials vowed to resist attempts to oust them from the party. BNP leader Major General Metsing Lekhanya on 11 February finally ruled that the five be suspended from the party for the next two years. Lekhanya […]

MAFETENG – The Khoete village in Mafeteng, about 130 kilometres south of the capital Maseru, is in mourning. Thirteen people, including 11 children between the ages of 9 and 13, were washed away into Motsepe River during flash floods that pounded the district. The children were travelling in the back of the Isuzu truck when […]

MASERU – A 30-year-old Maseru man, Kepotsa Mbele, will spend the next 20 years behind bars after he was found guilty of murder by the High Court on Monday. The prosecution told the court that Mbele killed Tsépo Molise by stabbing him with a knife on April 20 2004 at Ha-Hlajoane in Berea. Mbele had […]

MASERU – Four civil servants who work at the Passport Office appeared in court last week to answer charges of fraudulently issuing Lesotho passports to two foreigners. The four, ‘Matobatsi Mokhaboli, 40, Fumane Tsinyane, 36, Seipati Makumane and Libuseng Phatoli, 32, were remanded out of custody to March 6. The state says by issuing the […]

MASERU – A 71-year-old woman last week pleaded with a Maseru magistrate to keep a rape suspect behind bars as she feared for her own safety. ‘Ma-Amelia Lekaka told the presiding magistrate Mampho Mokoena to deny bail to Joel Ntsooa. Joel Ntsooa, from Ha James Makhobalo in Mazenod on the outskirts of Maseru, is accused […]

MASERU – Finance Minister Timothy Thahane yesterday spelt out a 10-point plan to boost the economy and remove barriers to doing business in the country. Presenting his budget speech in parliament Thahane said the government will put in place structural reforms to create a conducive and competitive investment environment. The government says it is also […]

MASERU – The state has filed an appeal against a High Court judgment that awarded M450 000 in damages to a woman whose leg was amputated at a Bloemfontein hospital 10 years ago. ‘Mammutsoe Nteso, 48, successfully sued Queen Elizabeth II Hospital last year alleging that doctors at the hospital had misdiagnosed her. Apart from Queen […]

MASERU – Deputy Police commander Kizito Mhlakaza on Tuesday told the High Court that the suspended deputy police commissioner Motsotuoa Ntaote altered documents to fraudulently get per-diems. Mhlakaza was testifying in court against Ntaote, 44, who is charged with fraud for allegedly misrepresenting to the treasury department that he and other police officers were entitled […]

MASERU – The wife of a former Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) officer in exile says she is living in fear after some people claiming to be police officers attacked her house last Friday. ‘Mamalebanye Lerotholi, whose husband, Makotoko ‘Mashai’ Lerotholi is in exile after the 2007 political instability said three heavily armed men raided her […]

MASERU – It’s good to be a Matlama fan once more. A new year has a brought a new dawn. Three wins in four games. Much of the transformation has been down to Ntebele Taole. Appointed at the beginning of the year when Matlama down in the dumps and sliding Taole has lifted the side […]

MASERU – Only a native of Mohale’s Hoek will understand the true meaning of Majantja FC. Born six decades ago the club have brought untold joy and pride to its people. In that time the team has won two league titles. Those were the good old days. Fast forward to 2009 and the picture is […]

Likhopo………………..(1) 2 Mphatlalatsane…….(0) 0 MASERU – Two goals either side of halftime from Mokone Marabe and Salebone Lekhooa were enough to earn Likhopo a 2-0 victory over Mphatlalatsane on Sunday. On a rain soaked Central Prison pitch Likhopo dominated throughout for a comfortable win. Coming off the back of a four match winning streak Mphatlalatsane […]

MASERU – Police in Maseru have launched a manhunt for two dangerous prisoners who broke out of the maximum security prison in a movie-style escape a fortnight ago. The fugitive prisoners, Patrick Molekane and Thato Ramafikeng, were part of a group of five hardcore criminals who broke out of the maximum security section of the […]

MASERU – Reverend Adam Lekhoaba, died at Mediclinic in Bloemfontein last Thursday. He was 38. Rev Lekhoaba was the owner and manager of popular private radio station Harvest FM. As a fearless broadcaster Lekhoaba was a thorn in the flesh of the government of Lesotho He was a controversial but colourful figure who did not […]

MASERU- “I am neither right nor left. I take every situation as it comes.” This is the self description of Mothetjoa Metsing, the new LCD secretary general. He defeated Ralechate ‘Mokose (minister of forestry and land reclamation) by 999 to 773. He prefers to call himself a moderate. That might be true considering that he […]

MASERU – By the time he reached the age of 16 Mpho Malie was already a politically conscious teenager. When other boys of his age were chasing girls Malie, the outgoing general secretary of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), was already involved in serious politics. At 20 he was a student activist and a […]

MASERU – Natural Resources Minister Monyane Moleleki’s political ambitions took a big dent last week when he lost the editorship of the ruling party’s newspaper. Moleleki was seeking to retain his post as editor of Mololi, an influential newspaper for the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) party. Moleleki lost the post to Dr Motloheloa […]

MASERU-Popular Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) stalwart Monyane Moleleki could have paid dearly for his ambitions. Moleleki lost his seat in the LCD’s National Executive Committee at the conference held over the weekend. This is the first time that he finds himself out of the LCD national executive since the formation of the party in […]

MASERU – Suspended deputy police commissioner, Motsotuoa Ntaote, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court to answer charges of fraud. Ntaote, 44, is being charged with making false per diem claims to the treasury department when he attended a fully sponsored trip to South Africa in 2005. The crown says Ntaote misrepresented […]

MASERU – The High Court has turned down a bail application by a South African national who was extradited to Lesotho to answer murder charges. Mpumelelo Mbobo is alleged to have waved down a taxi, fired several shots at passengers killing four people. Two others were seriously injured in the attack. The attack happened on […]

MASERU – A soldier who fatally shot his two colleagues and wounded two others was on the verge of insanity, a psychologist called as a witness told the court last week. Daniel Louw from the University of Free State said Moeketsi Scout, 38, who is an officer in the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) could have […]

MASERU – The executive secretary of Lesotho Public Service Staff Association (LEPSSA), S’khulumi Ntsoaole, says he was forced to go on leave by some members of the executive committee.  Ntsoaole said he was booted out of the office on January 14 by some members of the executive committee. He said some members of the executive […]

MASERU – Lehlohonolo Tséhlana’s grip on Mokhotlong faces an acid test on Sunday when he launches his Senkatana party at a time when the All Basotho Convention (ABC) will be having a rally in the same constituency. The Mokhotlong legislator split from the ABC late last year accusing the leadership of lacking vision and personalising […]

MASERU – Lesotho’s biggest mining firm, Letséng Diamonds, last Friday awarded scholarships to seven students to enable them to study at South African universities. The seven join 15 other students who are already studying at South African colleges and universities under the Letsing Diamond scholarship scheme. The students will study electrical engineering, mining engineering, environmental […]