… Inspector Teboho Molumo further barred from rejoining the police organisation.
’Marafaele Mohloboli
Former Lesotho Police Staff Association (LEPOSA) deputy president, Inspector Teboho Molumo, has welcomed his dismissal from the association, saying there was no need for him to continue fighting to remain in the organisation.
Insp Molumo was slapped with the letter of dismissal on 5 July for alleged misconduct. It was signed by LEPOSA secretary-general, Inspector ’Makatleho Mphetho.
There is no love lost between Insp Molumo and Insp Mphetho, whose rivalry in the LEPOSA executive has been evident since 2021.
Insp Molumo was first suspended on 14 March 2022 for allegedly participating in the November 2021 events which resulted in LEPOSA’s property being seized at the behest of Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli and the association’s bank accounts being frozen in January 2022.
In January 2022, LEPOSA treasurer Lance Sergeant ‘Mathebe Motseki, president Senior Inspector Teboho Modia and Insp Mphetho, were accused of theft after allegedly withdrawing funds from the association’s accounts without the knowledge of then suspended secretary-general, Insp Moraleli Motloli.
Insp Molumo had reported the theft of M179 000 and a case was opened at the Maseru Central Police Station against the trio.
Prior to the M179 000 theft case, the three LEPOSA members had also opened a case of fraud against Insp Motloli for allegedly using a fake LEPOSA logo when he wrote a letter to Nedbank requesting the freezing of LEPOSA’s accounts. The
letter to Nedbank is dated 22 January 2022.
In reaction to the letter to Nedbank, Senior Insp Modia then wrote to Insp Motloli on 28 January 2022 informing him that the LEPOSA executive committee had resolved to suspend him.
The Officer Commanding Commercial Crime Counter Unit, Detective Sergeant Molapo Magaga, Commissioner Molibeli and Attorney General Rapelang Motsieloa then petitioned the High Court on 9 February 2022 seeking an order to bar Lance Sergeant Motseki, Snr Insp Modia and Insp Mphetho from accessing the LEPOSA accounts held with Nedbank, First National Bank (FNB) and Stanlib.
Later on, Insp Molumo found himself on the wrong side of the law on 25 November 2022 when he pointed a firearm at Insp Mphetho.
Insp Mphetho was then the organisation’s deputy secretary-general while Insp Molumo was the deputy president, but on suspension.
A criminal case was opened against Insp Molumo who was then hauled before the Maseru Magistrates’ Court and charged for endangering her life.
He appeared before Magistrate ‘Makopano Rantṥo in January this year, who released him on free bail. The matter still pends before that court.
According to the charge-sheet, Insp Molumo pointed a gun at Insp Mphetho and some of the committee members on 25 November 2022, threatening to kill her and thus “wrongfully, unlawfully, and intentionally threatened danger or death to them”.
And in the latest twist to the saga, Insp Mphetho has now served Insp Molumo with a letter terminating his LEPOSA membership.
Reads the letter: “The LEPOSA general conference, in its sitting from 21 to 24 February 2023, at Thaba-Bosiu Cultural Village, deliberated on your gross misconduct that you partook in an illegal meeting chaired by yourself as the deputy president of LEPOSA, while the president (Senior Insp Teboho Modia), was still available in office, the object of which was to freeze the accounts of the association thereby stifling its business, and that unlawful act, you did as the deputy president.
“As a result, you endorsed your signature on the resolution letter to freeze LEPOSA’s Nedbank account. It is on the basis of the foregoing that the general conference resolved to dismiss you from the association. Upon receiving this letter, kindly note that your membership will be terminated by the end of August
2023 and you will never be allowed to rejoin LEPOSA.”
Speaking to the Lesotho Times this week, Insp Molumo said he was not interested in “useless fights”.
“Some battles are not ours and are not worth it. I have served LEPOSA with my all. I have equally fought with them to do the right thing. It is nothing personal and has never been. I have nothing against LEPOSA or anyone thereof.
“I accept their decision. If a few individuals who have a personal score to settle against me feel like that’s the right thing to do, so be it. I have a lot of things to do with my life. My future awaits me. My life does not revolve around LEPOSA,” said Insp
Molumo.
He further said serving in the structures of LEPOSA over the years had helped him mature and look at life from a different perspective.
“I have matured immensely, and I am ready to let go and want to shift my focus more on my exit as a police officer, with my integrity still intact. If being dismissed from LEPOSA means forfeiting my contributions to the organization’s funeral policy, then so be it. I am not going to nag or fight for that. From where I stand, I am a happy and fulfilled man because I did nothing wrong. I became a member of LEPOSA by virtue of being a police officer and the dismissal does not take that away from me. I remain an officer of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service,” Insp Molumo added.
