MP speaks on estate fight

MASERU – MOKHERANE Tsatsanyane, a Democratic Congress (DC) MP, says his younger brother’s allegations that he wants to keep their father’s entire estate for himself are malicious lies meant to tarnish his image.

Mokherane and his brother, Moorosi, are embroiled in a bitter fight over the estate of their late father, Chaltin Tsatsanyane.

Moorosi has accused Mokherane of using dirty tactics to sideline him from the multimillion maloti estate.

He described Mokherane as a bully in previous interviews with thepost. But Mokherane this week said it is his brother who is fighting him.

He said although he is the heir as the firstborn he magnanimously agreed to equally share the estate with his brother.

Mokherane said he made the same announcement during the funeral because his father didn’t leave a will.

He said it was only after they started discussing what to give their stepmother, in addition to the house at Ha-Hoohlo, that Moorosi became uncooperative.

“He said I should give our father’s wife part of my share and not his,” Mokherane said.

Mokherane said there were further problems when Moorosi started running their father’s textile company, at the Maseru Industrial Area, with their stepmother.

He said Moorosi demanded a M10 000 salary but he suggested that he would rather be paid through dividends.

Mokherane said he later reluctantly requested their stepmother to give Moorosi the salary.

“I said this as I am an MP earning a salary,” he said.

There were further problems when Moorosi allegedly insisted on getting the salary even though the company had not performed well and could not afford to pay him immediately.

Mokherane said a few days later they received court papers where Moorosi had demanded M900 000 and M3 million separately.

He said this was despite that he was already working with lawyers to finalise the estate.

“I was surprised to get an interim order that was stopping me from preparing our inheritance,” he said.

A week after, he said, some Land Administration Authority (LAA) employees tipped him off that Moorosi was trying to transfer 10 sites and the father’s family house to himself. He said the Maseru City Council (MCC)’s records also showed that the sites were now in Moorosi’s names.

He said the papers giving Moorosi the inheritance had been signed by his father’s younger sister and one Mochochokoane who is not their relative.

Mokherane said Moorosi is now in possession of the house and is collecting rent from some of the properties and some sites.

Mokherane also blamed Moorosi for their dispute over properties owned by the Lesotho Public Motor Transport Company where his father was a shareholder and managing director. The fight also involves Tšepang Phangoa who now claims to be the company’s managing director.

He said they had initially agreed with Moorosi to let Phangoa run things but things quickly turned sour. Mokherane said after a tenant at the company’s building at the Maseru main Bus Stop Area complained about a leaking roof he agreed that they should deduct M3 000 from their rentals for repairs.

Mokherane said Phangoa then accused him of illegally collecting rentals and sued him. The court ordered Mokherane to repay the M3 000

He said the shareholders also complained that Phangoa had been collecting money for his benefit.

Nkheli Liphoto