THE matter in which former Director General of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO), Advocate Mahlomola Manyokole is facing corruption charges in the Maseru Magistrate’s Court was on Monday withdrawn from the roll after the court decided to indict him for summary trial in the High Court.

Manyokole is charged together with Adv Peter Matekane, DCEO'S Chief Asset Recovery Litigation Officer and Head of the Asset Recovery Unit, Ikhetheleng Matabane, Mokorotlo Communications (PTY) LTD, Matsobane Putsoa, M Putsoa and Associates as well as Relebohile Lesholu.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has issued a savingram addressed to the Magistrate Court indicating that pursuant to the provisions of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act no. 7 of 1981 she has indicted the accused for summary trial before the High Court on corruption charges.

As per the savingram, the accused are charged with contravention of section 21(3)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption and Economic Offences Act 1999, as amended. They are also accused of contravening section 25 of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crimes Act as well as contravening section 57 of Penal Code Act of 2010.

They are alleged to have acted in concert and common purpose between June 2020 and January 2021 when designing a scheme to appoint Putsoa of M. Putsoa and Associates, a company which at the time of appointment had been deregistered with Lesotho Institute of Accounts since June 2016 for non-payment of membership fees.