LESOTHO citizens in the hands of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Newcastle, Kwazulu-Natal are said to have been arrested for allegedly killing a local Chinese businessman.

According to the Executive Director of the Migrants Association of Lesotho, Lerato Nkhetše, this surfaced during a meeting they held with their SA counterparts where they discussed means to amicably solve the issues concerning Basotho living and working in Newcastle.

Nkhetše said they learned that some Lesotho nationals fled Newcastle in order to avoid arrest by the SAPS.

“We discovered that some fled because they did not have permits to work or live in South Africa while others escaped because they had been involved in criminal activities in Newcastle.

“The ones in police custody were arrested during an operation that was held by the SAPS to curb criminal activities, including the ones believed to have murdered the Chinese businessman, it further emerged,” Nkhetše also said.

He added: “We are also aware that whenever certain South Africans want people killed, they enlist the services of Lesotho nationals living in South Africa, and in the end, Basotho are the ones who get caught and imprisoned.”