Manyokole trial postponed
Share
Mohalenyane Phakela
SUSPENDED Directorate of Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) Director General, Mahlomola Manyokole, will have to wait longer to know when his money laundering and corruption trial will begin.
This after the Maseru Magistrates Court on Thursday postponed to unknown date a hearing to set the trial date.
The trial date was supposed to have been set on Thursday and Advocate Manyokole showed up before the court opened its doors at 9am.
An hour later, there was still no indication of when the proceedings would begin. The court’s information officer, Nthabiseng Mohale, later told the
Maseru court grinds to a standstill
Mohalenyane Phakela
OPERATIONS at the Maseru Magistrates Court have ground to a virtual standstill due to a power cut by the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC).
So serious is the crisis that, according to Chief Magistrate ‘Matankiso Nthunya, magistrates are unable to deliver judgements, hear or even enrol new cases whose proceedings have to be electronically recorded.
The LEC abruptly cut power supplies to the Maseru Magistrates Court on 23 February 2021 over its failure to pay a M1, 3 million power bill which had accumulated over the past five years.
Chief Magistrate Nthunya this week said they had scrambled to raise M200 000. However, this is still grossly inadequate as the LEC is holding out for at least half of the M1, 3 million debt. This means that the judiciary will have to fork out at least M650 000 before the Maseru court is
Government owes LEC M170m
MASERU-THE government owes the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) M170 million in power bills that have been mounting for decades.
This makes the government the biggest debtor to the power company already struggling with cash flow problems.
Businesses and individuals owe the LEC M90 million to bring the total debt to a staggering M260 million, money the company urgently needs to plug the gaping holes in its financial books.
If paid the company can connect more people to electricity, repair faults and pay suppliers.
Makhetha Motšoari, the LEC spokesman, said part of the government’s debt dates back to 2010.