Leposa squabbles take nasty turn

MASERU – SQUABBLES within the Lesotho Police Staff Association (Leposa) took a nasty turn on Monday when a senior officer allegedly held his colleagues at gunpoint.

There was chaos at the Government Complex, the treasury section, when Inspector ’Makatleho Mphetho came out of the building running, calling for security.

Inspector Mphetho had just sped out of the treasury office allegedly running from Inspector Teboho Molumo whom she said he had pointed a gun at several officers and the treasury officers.

She said Inspector Molumo had pointed a gun at her too. Inspector Mphetho called the police who took Inspector Molumo away with them.

Inspector Molumo, the suspended Leposa deputy president, had taken the association before the accountant general to explain why they are still deducting money from his salary when he had paid what he owed.

Inspector Molumo, in a letter seen by thepost, said he had borrowed money from the association in 2020 and he was to pay M1 100 per month but in October this year M3 000 was deducted from his salary.

The last deduction should have been in November but to his shock, M3 000 was deducted last month, infuriating Inspector Molumo.

He then took the association to the accountant general’s office at Finance House, situated at the Government Complex.

Inspector Mphetho, the Leposa secretary general, told thepost that during the discussions the secretary for Central Region, Mokhethi Mokhethi, was trying to explain why Inspector Molumo should pay when he got really angry.

She said Inspector Molumo used vulgar language and immediately drew a pistol, pointing it at Mokhethi.

It came out that the association was forcing him to pay money which it said he had used when he was in office and bought “unnecessary things”.

It was this explanation that infuriated Inspector Molumo.

“He said he had finished paying the money that they had stolen here at the office, by buying themselves unnecessary things with the association funds unlawfully,” Inspector Mphetho said.

Inspector Mphetho said immediately Inspector Molumo pointed his gun at Mokhethi and told him, U nts’o bua ma***a (You’s talking s**t), when Mokhethi was trying to explain that he had not finished paying his debt.

Inspector Mphetho said she tried to calm down Inspector Molumo.

“Instead of listening to me he shouted at me saying I am a bast**d that needed to be killed first,” she said.

“He then pointed his gun at me.”

“I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

Inspector Mphetho said she ran out through a door that was closer to her while Inspector Molumo ordered everyone in the house not to leave, pointing the gun at them.

“I ran to the entrance where I informed the security and called the police,” she said.

“I had never before seen Molumo like that. He was so wild, even when the police came, he did not want to listen to them.”
Inspector Molumo was taken by the police but released later that day.

“We are still shocked, but we know he will not be arrested because of his friendship with the police management,” she said.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Leposa said not only is the act unfortunate, “but it’s also barbaric and unprofessional in regard to the fact that members of Leposa are police with highest standards of discipline and emotional intelligence”.

Leposa said it has “opened a case of assault at Maseru as per RCI 112/11/22 and the association will also take disciplinary measures against the perpetrator”.
Inspector Molumo declined to comment.

“I have no comment on what you are asking me,” Inspector Molumo said.

His letter to Leposa, copied to the Treasury Office, Commissioner of Police and the salaries department, said when he had only a month to finish paying his debt, he was surprised to find that M3 000 had been deducted from his salary.

He requested that his salary should not be deducted any further and that he should be refunded the extra M798 which he had already paid to Leposa.

He said failure to do so would leave him with no other option but to seek legal remedy. The police were unavailable for comment.

Nkheli Liphoto

MASERU – SQUABBLES within the Lesotho Police Staff Association (Leposa) took a nasty turn on Monday when a senior officer allegedly held his colleagues at gunpoint.

There was chaos at the Government Complex, the treasury section, when Inspector ’Makatleho Mphetho came out of the building running, calling for security.

Inspector Mphetho had just sped out of the treasury office allegedly running from Inspector Teboho Molumo whom she said he had pointed a gun at several officers and the treasury officers.

She said Inspector Molumo had pointed a gun at her too. Inspector Mphetho called the police who took Inspector Molumo away with them.

Inspector Molumo, the suspended Leposa deputy president, had taken the association before the accountant general to explain why they are still deducting money from his salary when he had paid what he owed.

Inspector Molumo, in a letter seen by thepost, said he had borrowed money from the association in 2020 and he was to pay M1 100 per month but in October this year M3 000 was deducted from his salary.

The last deduction should have been in November but to his shock, M3 000 was deducted last month, infuriating Inspector Molumo.

He then took the association to the accountant general’s office at Finance House, situated at the Government Complex.

Inspector Mphetho, the Leposa secretary general, told thepost that during the discussions the secretary for Central Region, Mokhethi Mokhethi, was trying to explain why Inspector Molumo should pay when he got really angry.

She said Inspector Molumo used vulgar language and immediately drew a pistol, pointing it at Mokhethi.

It came out that the association was forcing him to pay money which it said he had used when he was in office and bought “unnecessary things”.

It was this explanation that infuriated Inspector Molumo.

“He said he had finished paying the money that they had stolen here at the office, by buying themselves unnecessary things with the association funds unlawfully,” Inspector Mphetho said.

Inspector Mphetho said immediately Inspector Molumo pointed his gun at Mokhethi and told him, U nts’o bua ma***a (You’s talking s**t), when Mokhethi was trying to explain that he had not finished paying his debt.

Inspector Mphetho said she tried to calm down Inspector Molumo.

“Instead of listening to me he shouted at me saying I am a bast**d that needed to be killed first,” she said.

“He then pointed his gun at me.”

“I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

Inspector Mphetho said she ran out through a door that was closer to her while Inspector Molumo ordered everyone in the house not to leave, pointing the gun at them.

“I ran to the entrance where I informed the security and called the police,” she said.

“I had never before seen Molumo like that. He was so wild, even when the police came, he did not want to listen to them.”
Inspector Molumo was taken by the police but released later that day.

“We are still shocked, but we know he will not be arrested because of his friendship with the police management,” she said.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Leposa said not only is the act unfortunate, “but it’s also barbaric and unprofessional in regard to the fact that members of Leposa are police with highest standards of discipline and emotional intelligence”.

Leposa said it has “opened a case of assault at Maseru as per RCI 112/11/22 and the association will also take disciplinary measures against the perpetrator”.
Inspector Molumo declined to comment.

“I have no comment on what you are asking me,” Inspector Molumo said.

His letter to Leposa, copied to the Treasury Office, Commissioner of Police and the salaries department, said when he had only a month to finish paying his debt, he was surprised to find that M3 000 had been deducted from his salary.

He requested that his salary should not be deducted any further and that he should be refunded the extra M798 which he had already paid to Leposa.

He said failure to do so would leave him with no other option but to seek legal remedy. The police were unavailable for comment.

Nkheli Liphoto