Staff Reporters
POLICE Commissioner Holomo Molibeli has dismissed as “utter nonsense” a claim by former premier, Pakalitha Mosisili, that the re-sitting of a police recruitment examination was prompted by infighting in the coalition government.
Dr Mosisili had claimed, during a Democratic Congress (DC) conference held in Maseru over the weekend, that the four governing parties were fighting among themselves to recruit their supporters in the Lesotho Mounted Police Service.
Last week, Police Minister ’Mampho Mokhele ordered a re-sit of the examinations for police recruits after the question paper was circulated on social media networks before the completion of the examinations.
Ms Mokhele said the re-sit was necessary to ensure a credible and transparent recruitment process of police officers.
Interviews began in Thaba-Tseka on Monday this week until tomorrow, in Berea (Monday to 10 November), Mafeteng (Monday to 3 November), Maseru (Monday to 10 November), Leribe (11-15 November) and Butha-Buthe (16-19 November).
Mokhotlong will conduct interviews from 20 to 22 November, Mohale’s Hoek (4-7 November), Quthing (8-10 November) and Qacha’s Nek (11-13 November).
A police officer stationed at Mazenod Police Station has been accused of leaking the test and has since been slapped with a letter asking him to “show cause” why he should not be suspended.
However, Dr Mosisili claimed the cause of the re-sit was infighting within the governing coalition, consisting of the All Basotho Convention, Alliance of Democrats, Basotho National Party and Reformed Congress of Lesotho.
“The reasons we have been told for the re-sit are not true,” the DC leader told party supporters.
“The fact of the matter is that there was no transparency in the recruitment process as they were done along party lines. They are now fighting among themselves.”
Commissioner Molibeli described Dr Mosisili’s claim as “utter nonsense” in an interview with the Lesotho Times yesterday.
“His claims are utter rubbish. We discovered that a police officer published the examination document on social media,” he said.
“So, it was unfair for those who had already undergone the test to then compete with those who were yet to undergo it and had seen it on social media. We had to start afresh.”
For his part, Communications Minister Joang Molapo urged Dr Mosisili to provide evidence of his claims “instead of barking at the moon”.
