Responding to a question during a question and answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday, Prof Mahao said it is still being imposed on offenders by the High Court in deserving cases.
“'The last time the death penalty was passed by the High Court was in 2011 in the CRI/T/119/2010 Rex v Tello Mabusela & others and the Court of Appeal commuted the death sentence imposed on the accused persons to lifetime imprisonment,'' he explained.
The minister said where the court confirms a premeditated murder, provisions of the death penalty imposed by the High Court come into play.
He showed that the constitution gives the King powers to grant a pardon, a respite on the execution of a sentence imposed, substitute a less severe offence or to remit the whole or part of the sentence imposed upon the accused person as per the advice by the Pardon's Committee.
THE Minister of Law and Justice, Professor Nqosa Mahao says the death penalty is still retained in Lesotho’s statute books as an ultimate sanction prescribed in respect of different categories of offences including murder.
