LCD youth league President Motlatsi Maope
’Marafaele Mohloboli
LESOTHO Congress for Democracy youth leaders, Secretary General Potso Shao and President Motlatsi Maope were yesterday questioned at Pitso Ground Police Station in Maseru over comments they made in the aftermath of last month’s fatal shooting of Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s wife, Lipolelo.
Ms Thabane was shot dead by an unknown assailant as she was about to drive into her Ha ‘Masana home on 14 June 2017. The incident occurred just two days before the inauguration of Dr Thabane as Lesotho’s prime minister.
A female companion also sustained serious injuries. Ms Thabane was laid to rest last Friday.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Mr Shao addressed a press conference in which he claimed to be speaking on behalf of the seven former governing parties which were ousted from power after the 3 June 2017 elections.
The parties in the former government consist of the Democratic Congress (DC), LCD, Marematlou Freedom Party, Basotho Congress Party (BCP), National Independent Party, Lesotho People’s Congress and Popular Front for Democracy.
“As the youths of this country, we are deeply aggrieved by the killing of our mother, the First Lady, Mme Lipolelo Thabane, whose death has caused great shock and made headlines in Lesotho and internationally,” Mr Shao said at the June press conference.
“It was a striking coincidence that she was killed just a day to go before her husband’s inauguration as prime minister.
“We all know that she was supposed to be the First Lady as per the judgement of the High Court delivered by Justice Molefi Makara in 2015. We therefore appeal to the police to do right thing and not beat about the bush since the perpetrator in this matter is well known even by a toddler,” Mr Shao said without elaborating on whom he meant.
Speaking after being questioned by police yesterday, Mr Shao said he had been summoned to “help police with their investigations”.
“I was welcomed very warmly and asked to present my side of the story, why I had maintained that the perpetrators in the matter were known and I did without any duress whatsoever.”
The LCD youth league officials also complained about the “sudden change of administrators” in the police force which they felt would affect investigations into the killing.
“Since last week, we have also been complaining about the removal of Senior Assistant Commissioner (SACP) Jankie Hlaahla who was the Acting Deputy Commissioner handling the case and the sudden appointment of DCP Holomo Molibeli.
“However, the matter has since been clarified to our satisfaction that investigations won’t be tampered with as there was no such switching as we thought.
“The police assured us that once a breakthrough has been made in the case, they shall alert us like they will do to the public as they are obligated to give feedback.”
Police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Clifford Molefe confirmed that they called “two youths for questioning pertaining to the murder of the late Prime Minister’s wife”.
He however, said no arrests had been made so far and they were still investigating.
