THE fate of the two political party leaders who face treason charges in the High Court remains unclear after a warrant for their arrest was issued earlier on Monday.
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Nov. 23, 2020
KABELO MASOABI
2 min read
Mochoboroane, Metsing face arrest
MEC leader Selibe Mochoboroane
The warrant comes after both Selibe Mochoboroane of the Movement for Economic Change (MEC) and his Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) counterpart Mothetjoa Metsing lost a constitutional application attempting to stop the Crown from trying them.
In their application, the two leaders wanted to be tried after the completion of the on-going multi-sector reforms.
The national reforms which were recommended by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 2016 have been dragging and several deadlines for their completion have been missed.
Both Mochoboroane and Metsing last appeared in the High Court in February where they were flanked by scores of their followers from their respective parties.
“Yes, a warrant for the arrest of the two leaders has been issued. The last time I checked, they hadn’t been arrested yet,” police spokesperson, Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli told Metro on Monday.
Mochoboroane and Metsing are charged together with the former army commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli and other soldiers for the treason that allegedly occurred on August 2, 2014 in Maseru.
After they made their appearance in court before the COVID-19 lockdown, both leaders had addressed their supporters outside the court house to highlight them on what was taking place.
Mochoboroane who is also the Minister of Development Planning claimed that he was set up by the deputy leader of the Basotho National Party BNP), Machesetsa Mofomobe.
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LCD leader Mothetjoa Metsing
He said the set up dated as far back as 2017 when Mofomobe had warned him about the impending treason charges.
He told his supporter how Mofomobe even encouraged him to join forces with him and become part of the former ruling party.
“I refused to join the BNP and this is why I am being attacked like this. But I wonder why it took them so long. I also wonder why Mofomobe and his leader Thesele ’Maseribane met the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to discuss this case instead of the Prime Minister or his deputy,” he said.
The MEC leader had warned both Mofomobe and ’Maseribane that if they wanted to battle him, they should take their squabble to the political arenas and not the courts of law.