First lady gets bail in murder case
Publish date: 10 February 2020
Issue Number: 859
Diary: IBA Legalbrief Africa
Category: Lesotho
Lesotho's first lady was last week released on bail after being charged with the murder of her husband's estranged wife. Maesaiah Thabane was detained after turning herself in on Tuesday, ending a weeks-long disappearance. She was charged after police quizzed her on the brutal murder of Prime Minister Thomas Thabane's estranged wife two days before his inauguration in June 2017. His estranged wife, Lipolelo Thabane, was shot dead outside her home in the capital Maseru. The couple was involved in bitter divorce proceedings at the time. BBC News reports that Maesaiah Thabane has also been charged with the attempted murder of Thato Sibolla, a family friend who was travelling with the deceased at the time. The case was postponed to 28 February and bail was set at $67. The murder shocked the nation. Thabane described it as ‘senseless’ in his inauguration speech. The Prime Minister was also taken in for questioning after police linked a call made at the crime scene to his mobile. He has not been charged.
