Lesotho PM requests immunity from charge of murdering wife
Lesotho’s prime minister has made a surprise appearance in court, where his lawyer argued that his office granted him immunity from prosecution for allegedly murdering his estranged wife shortly before he took power.
Thomas Thabane sat in the public gallery of the court in Maseru, the capital of the small mountain kingdom, with his second wife. He had been due to appear on Friday to be charged with murder, but had not appeared, saying he had to travel to neighbouring South Africa for medical treatment.
His lawyer, Qhalehang Letsika, argued on Monday that the murder charge against a sitting prime minister raised a significant constitutional issue that needed to be resolved before charges could be read against his client. The magistrate, Phethise Motanyane, agreed to refer the case to a higher court.
Lipolelo Thabane, 58, was shot several times at close range as she sat in a car near her home, two days before husband’s inauguration in 2017. She had reportedly refused a divorce and won a court battle to retain her privileges as first lady until any formal separation.
ThomasThabane remarried two months after her death. His second wife, Maesaiah, 42, was charged with murder this month after briefly fleeing the country. Both deny any wrongdoing.
His spokesman, Thabo Thakalekoala, said: “The prime minister is protected by the constitution although he is not above the law. This whole exercise is just meant to embarrass him and nothing else.”
Thabane has said he will resign at the end of July, and several members of his All Basotho Convention (ABC) party have been pressuring him to go sooner to avert a political crisis. Lesotho has a history of coups and political instability. Many fear there will be a power vacuum unless the ABC can agree on a successor, and analysts expect a general election will have to be called soon.
Lesotho is one of the least developed countries in southern Africa. A recent survey by the World Bank found some improvement over a 15-year period but said nearly half of its 3 million residents lived in poverty. Aid agencies have said more than 500,000 people face severe food shortages in the coming months after a protracted drought. In recent years Lesotho has tried to generate income through the cultivation of medical marijuana and tourism.
The case was brought back into the spotlight in January after a letter from Lesotho’s police chief emerged claiming communication records showed that someone at the murder scene had called Thabane’s mobile phone on the day of the crime. The killing was initially blamed on unknown criminals. Lesotho has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Investigators have since said they believe professional hitmen carried out the attack.
Thabane’s second wife, Maesaiah, has been a controversial figure. Since the wedding, for which she was two hours late, she has been accused of interfering in political appointments. A fund she set up to help reduce poverty has been the focus of allegations of fraud and money laundering. She denies any wrongdoing.
