Lesotho prime minister to step down as he faces charge for wife's murder

Lesotho’s Prime Minister Thomas Thabane. Picture: Reuters

Lesotho’s Prime Minister Thomas Thabane. Picture: Reuters

Published Feb 20, 2020

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MASERU - Lesotho's Prime Minister Thomas

Thabane will be charged with the murder of his late wife, the

deputy police commissioner said on Thursday, the latest twist in

a love triangle murder case that has stunned the southern

African highland kingdom.

The 80-year-old Thabane took to the radio to announce that

he would step down at the end of July, but he did not mention

the case.

He instead cited old age as a reason for quitting as premier

of the tiny, mountainous territory encircled by South Africa and

which has a long history of political instability.

Thabane had been under mounting pressure over the death of

former first lady Lipolelo, who was shot dead in June 2017 near

her home in the capital Maseru two days before he took office.

The prime minister's current wife, Maesaiah Thabane, was

detained this month and charged with ordering the murder, but is

currently out on bail.

"The prime minister is going to be charged with the murder.

The police are preparing directives and he will probably be

charged tomorrow," Deputy Commissioner of Police Paseka Mokete

told Reuters by telephone.

Both she and Thomas, who married two months after Lipolelo's

killing, have denied any involvement in her death.

His spokesman Relebohile Moyeye said by telephone that he

could not comment because he had not yet seen the police

charges.

Police say that Maesaiah, 42, hired eight assassins to kill

the former first lady but that she was not present at the

shooting.

Lipolelo, then 58, and Thabane were going through an

acrimonious divorce at the time. An unknown assailant shot her

dead in her car.

The prime minister's resignation comes days after his

party's executive council called for him to step down

immediately.

"I have served my country diligently," Thabane said on state

radio.

"I've worked for a peaceful and stable Lesotho. Today ... at

my age, I have lost most of my energy ... I hereby retire as

prime minister with effect from the end of July."

Thabane is set to appear in court on the murder charges on

Friday, the deputy commissioner said, adding that the charge

sheet had already been prepared but that Thabane's lawyers had

requested an extra day.

"I think it's high time he goes (from office) but I don't

know why it's taking so long. He has to go for the sake of the

nation," Malineo Stoffels, a 30-year-old businesswoman who sells

grilled meat and rice from a food van, said after listening to

the announcement on a taxi radio in Maseru.

"Everyone is talking about us (Lesotho), the economy has

gone down," she said. "It has to end". 

Reuters

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