The Nation Lesotho

20/02/2024

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Rethabile Raphalo, Martin Setofolo, Mohau Otsamaea Butle

23/01/2024

18/01/2024

Lesotho to lift ban over chicken importation

staff reporter

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Thabo Mofosi says they are going to lift ban on chicken importation.

But they are going to allow only certain chicken products into the country.

"We are going to give a detailed explanation about this today at a press conference," Mofosi said.

Lesotho banned importation of chickens following an outbreak of bird flu in some
South Africa's farms last year.

This saw poultry farmers suffering because their means of survival had stopped.

Also, businesses dealing with chickens bled financially while others completely shut down.

There have been long negotiations between the poultry farmers and government to reach an amicable solution to import the chickens.

18/01/2024

Fokothi student commits su***de

Staff reporter

A 20- year- old female student from the Lerotholi Polytechnic known as Fokothi committed su***de on Monday night, police have confirmed.

This was after she embroiled in an altercation with her boyfriend who also attends school at Fokothi.

Fokothi Reactor Professor Tlali Sepiriti also confirmed the unfortunate incident at his school.

“We do not have full details as yet about the deceased. We do not even know which year she was in,” Prof Sepiriti Tlali said.

“We are still in the budget meeting,” he added.

Both the deceased and the boyfriend stayed in Moshoeshoe II just outside Maseru.

Deputy Police spokesperson Inspector ‘Mareabetsoe Mofoka said they received a report around 8pm on Monday that there was a patient admitted at Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital who was terminally ill.

Then they hurried to the hospital where they found that deceased had bubbles foaming around her mouth that gave a suspicion that she had drunk poison.

But she was shortly confirmed dead upon her arrival.

Insp Mofoka said police rushed to the scene and stumbled over the motionless body of the deceased.

“The deceased was identified as Fokothi student,” she said, adding that she was from Kolonyama Ha Moramang Leribe.

Her names are known to this publication.

“She had no external injuries except bubbles foaming on her mouth,” Insp Mofoka said.

Without waiting any time, they launched an investigation that led to the death of the deceased.

“We discovered that the deceased had a dispute with her boyfriend,” she said.

The deceased was in a love triangle with the deceased, she said.

After this discovery, the boyfriend approached the deceased that they should stop their love affair because he was not comfortable.

But the deceased was in denial. She told her boyfriend that she was madly in love with him.

Out of pain and frustration, she bought a poison and drank it.

Police said the girl went to her boyfriend’s home and threw the cont

17/01/2024

Man appears in court over traffic offences

Staff reporter

The court has sentenced Bokang Mohapi , 22, of Ha Leqele, Maseru 12 months imprisonment or to pay a fine of M2,000.00.

This was after he was found guilty of driving a car without a driver’s license.

Mohapi was also found guilty of driving a car that does not have documents to be on the road.

For this second charge, he was sentenced to a month in prison or to pay a fine of M500.00.

However, both charges were suspended for a period of three years without committing the same crime.

Lance Sergeant (L/Sgt) Tsebo Mapeshoane of the Police Department of Traffic Control said his police were on their routine checks looking for illegal cars on the road.

He said they spotted a black Honda Fit model car which was coming towards Maseru waiting by the side of the road.

And they searched that car and found out that it did not have the requirements while its driver also did not have proper documents to drive the car.

L/Sgt Mapeshoane said Mohapi told them that the car is still new and it was recently bought.

He said Mohapi told them that the car was still under the process for registration.

Meanwhile, Senior Inspector Rethabile Sehloho of the same department said it is the responsibility of the drivers and all Basotho to adhere to the traffic regulations all the time to avoid crime.

He said these regulations could be accessed at the Government Printing Office.

S/Insp Sehloho further warned drivers that the police have launched a campaign to collect vehicles operating illegally on the roads.

15/01/2024

Man killed over witchcraft
….suspect hauled before the court
Staff reporter
Rapelang Sejojo, 23, from Ha Rapase Qacha's Nek has been remanded in custody accused of murder of Semapo Leuta (63) from the same village.
He appeared before Magistrate Mokoena where the Prosecutor was Senatla, on the January 9.
Sejojo is expected to re- appear in court on the 21st of this month.
Detective Police Constable (D/P/C) Pitso Hoody from the Qacha's Nek police on the night of November 28, last year after 9 pm, the accused went to the deceased's house.
Upon his arrival, he accused the deceased that he was involved in the witchcraft of his father's illness which cost his life.
Police reports showed that the accused found the deceased at his home, eating.
And he demanded answers from the deceased why he was involved in the murder of his father.
Then the deceased replied that he did not have a hand in the murder at all.
This seemed to have angered the accused who attacked the deceased with a sword.
But he managed to go to the neigbour’s writhing in pain with bad wounds.
Later, the deceased was rushed Qachaé Nek hospital before being shipped to Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital.
However, he died later on the 4th this month.
Following the incident, the accused skipped the country to Durban, South Africa.
Police said they were tipped off that he was back in the country on the 7th to bury his father, and then he was able to be apprehended.

12/01/2024

Trio in court over murder
Staff reporter
Three men appeared in court over murder of another man on Tuesday in Leribe.
Police reports showed that KhotsoMotake (38), Hlomohang Moji (37) and Teboho Mochesane (28) from Kolonyama, Leribe appeared before Magistrate Kabi.
Leribe District Police CommandingOfficer Superintendent (Supt) Leuoane Thamae said they received a report on January 06, that a man had been stabbed.
And he died right on the spot.
Upon their arrival at the scene, they stumbled over a lifeless body of Heea Molefi on the ground with an estimated 60 wounds.
Supt Thamae said they picked up his body to the mortuary.
Then the police launched an investigation into the matter.
Police uncovered that the deceased was traveling in a car with one of his companions.
The police further said the car stopped next to one of the businesses to talk to the accused.
Then the accused chased the deceased until they stabbed him to death with knives.
Police investigations are still continuing in relation with the incident.
Sup Thamae appealed to the public to look for the mediators if they have differences.
The suspects have been remanded in custody and they will be back in court on the 23rd this month.

12/01/2024

Opposition leader’s security withdrawn again

Staff reporter

The army has withdrawn security for the opposition leader Mathibeli Mokhothu again. This has been confirmed by the Democratic Congress (DC) leader Serialong Qoo.

“As we speak, the opposition leader has no army security with him,” Qoo said.

“He has no official army security he is entitled to at the moment,” he said.

He said there is no reason given for this military security withdrawal.

But the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Sakeng Lekola said to the best of his knowledge, Mokhothu still has security with him.

“His full time security personnel are still with him,” Lt Col Lekola said.

Sometime last month, the army withdrew the security without any consultations with Mokhothu but it was reinstated after a few days.

11/01/2024

Lets'eng recovers 100+ carat diamond

The Lets'eng Diamonds is pleased to announce the recovery of a high-quality Type II white diamond from the Letšeng mine in Lesotho.

The stone, which was recovered on the morning of Tuesday this week, weighed in at 294.94 carats and is the first 100+ carat
stone to be recovered by Letšeng in this new year.