…as Matekane’s entire cabinet declares assets
Mohloai Mpesi
THE Minister of Law and Justice, Richard Ramoeletsi, says Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s entire Cabinet has declared all its assets.
Mr Ramoeletsi was, however, quick to stress that lifestyle audits can only be conducted under specific circumstances where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a person is living beyond their means.
In an interview with the Lesotho Times this week, Mr Ramoeletsi said the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) is finalising a written response to the Popular Front for Democracy (PFD)’s inquiry into the delayed publication of civil servants’ asset declarations.
“I can assure you that Cabinet is 100 percent declared. As for the National Assembly, I am not sure, and I have asked DCEO to check for me, also the Principal Secretaries (PSs) and others. So, they will give me that answer in writing,” Mr Ramoeletsi said
“I spoke to DCEO who said they are going to write a letter responding to PFD, then they will copy the answer to me as well.
“People declared by March. There are those who, after that declaration, we found had not declared, so they were given up to June so that by the end of June they should have all declared.
“That is what the law says. Similarly with tax law, it says you can declare by March, failing which, you should do so by the 30th of June (as the final deadline). So, they are going to explain how many people have declared with all the categories.”
Mr Ramoeletsi also reiterated his concern over civil servants’ reluctance to declare assets. Speaking in Parliament during the National Budget presentation in March this year, he said only 12 percent of public officers had complied.
In its letter to the DCEO, the PFD based its argument on Legal Notice No. 124, specifically Regulation 66 (7)(d), which states; “A person who fails to make a declaration within the specified time shall be reminded through a public media platform outlet to make such declaration within 14 days of such reminder”.
This legal notice was published on 29 October 2021.
The DCEO was expected to release a list of civil servants who had declared their assets by 30 June 2025. However, that deadline has passed, and the anti-corruption body has yet to make any public announcements.
The PFD further demanded that the DCEO initiate lifestyle audits and integrity tests on civil servants as provided for in Regulation 68 of the same legal notice.
“The Director-General shall, for the promotion of integrity and transparency, conduct lifestyle audits and integrity tests on any person, ministry, department, association, institution and an employee of any public body as defined in the Prevention of Corruption and Economic Offences Act 1999.”
The PFD also questioned whether the DCEO had indeed enforced the regulations and complied with the statutory requirement to issue a public reminder.
“We wish to request your good office whether the above regulations have been enforced as they are an important national tool to fight corruption. Further, this regulation has provided that the closing period of the specified period is the 30th of June.
“We have noted that today is the 21st of July 2025, which is 21 days after the closing period of the 30th of June, and we have not observed from any public media platform the reminder as provided.”
The letter also recalled Mr Ramoeletsi’s own admission in Parliament that only 12 percent of eligible public officers had declared their assets last year, and how he had been publicly reminded by PFD’s parliamentary representative and former leader, Advocate Lekhetho Rakuoane.
“This regulation is the enforcement and monitoring tool of the said regulations. It is against this backdrop that we request you, sir, to take the nation into your confidence.
“We also wish to ask whether Regulation 68 on lifestyle audits and integrity tests has been invoked and used to deter corruption in this country. If not, why has such a critical tool been left idle? If yes, which ministries or institutions, like parastatals, have been subjected to lifestyle audits?” the letter asked.
The PFD also explained that their concern was amplified by repeated revelations of rot exposed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and called on the DCEO to immediately conduct lifestyle audits on implicated individuals and institutions.
“Having listened to the proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee, it is clear that some institutions and many individuals do not need an enquiry because it will take time.
“But the swiftest way is for the DCEO to immediately engage and conduct lifestyle audits on such institutions and individuals as has been identified, at least by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC),” the letter reads.
Minister Ramoeletsi told the Lesotho Times that lifestyle audits cannot be applied to everyone and can only be conducted where there is evidence suggesting a person could be living above their declared means.
“The issue of lifestyle audits is not just applied to anyone without reason. You can choose whether you like to audit certain people because you have reasons for them. That’s what the law says.
“You don’t just wake up in the morning and decide to conduct a lifestyle audit on a particular person. You don’t do that without reasons. When one has declared their assets, it is enough.
“But the same person who has declared, if you have doubts about him or her, like living a lifestyle above their income, you can audit their lifestyle to find out which money is sponsoring that lifestyle.”
Mohau Mokhochane from the DCEO’s Asset Declaration department confirmed that, due to staff shortages, the directorate does not conduct blanket checks but, instead, focuses on targeted groups.
“We don’t do blanket declarations. Because of staff shortages, we select a sizeable group based on our reports,” Mr Mokhochane said.
