Moorosi Tsiane
AN Israeli businessman has filed a staggering M26,285,756 lawsuit against the Commissioner of Police, Borotho Matsoso, over the alleged destruction of his cannabis business during a police raid.
Tom Srugo, who lives in Thetsane West, Maseru, says the raid took place on 15 November 2024 at his company, Arcana Seeds PTY (LTD), in Masowe.
According to Mr Srugo, members of the Special Operations Unit (SOU) from Mabote Police Station stormed the premises, destroyed cannabis plants, seeds and flowers, and impounded everything. This despite being shown the company’s valid trade license.
Advocate Matsoso and Attorney General Rapelang Motsieloa KC are first and second respondents respectively in Mr Srugo’s court application.
“On or about 15 November 2024, officers from the Special Operations Unit (SOU) of Mabote Police Station, acting under the supervision of one officer identified as Mohapi Lerotholi, whose full particulars are unknown to the applicant, raided, destroyed, and impounded the applicant’s cannabis seeds and flowers,” Mr Srugo states in court papers.
“At the time of the raid, Mr Matsoso’s officers destroyed and impounded the applicant’s cannabis plants, flowers, and biological material intellectual property.”
Mr Srugo claims that SOU officers carried out the raid despite being shown the company’s valid trader’s license which authorised the cultivation and possession of cannabis.
He further alleges that even after obtaining a court order compelling the SOU officers to return the confiscated cannabis plants, they refused to comply.
“The applicant had to resort to court for an interdict under CIV/APN/0048/2024 and obtained a court order against the said respondents for the return of the applicant’s cannabis plants per court order dated 13 December 2024. In utter contempt, the said respondents refused and intentionally disobeyed an order of the court to date.”
As a result of the raid, he claims to have suffered massive business losses due to the destruction of his cannabis plants, flowers and intellectual property.
Mr Srugo is now demanding M21,485,760 in damages for the destruction of his cannabis products and biological intellectual property, and a further M4,800,000 for loss of business. This brings his total claim to M26,285,760.
Meanwhile, court records show that Mr Srugo was arrested on 11 May 2022 and appeared before the Maseru Magistrates Court on charges of illegally growing cannabis inside his seven-roomed house at Thetsane West.
According to police, he was found in possession of 376 cannabis planting pots, which were being cultivated in six of the seven rooms in the rented property.
Mr Srugo was granted M1000 bail, and that case is still pending before the Maseru Magistrates Court.
