Former Finance Minister faces fraud charges
Publish date: 01 July 2014
Issue Number: 583
Diary: IBA Legalbrief Africa
Category: Lesotho
The Maseru Magistrate's Court will this week make a ruling over an application to discharge former Finance Minister Timothy Thahane and Mosito Khethisa, the suspended principal secretary in the ministry, who are accused of fraud and bribery.
A report on the publiceye.co.ls site notes that defence advocates Philip Loubser and Qalehang Letsika made the application before Senior Resident Magistrate Peter Murenzi. The pair are accused of defrauding the government of more than $1.8m. Loubser argued that several have prejudiced the defendants. 'We are not dealing with common criminals here, these are people of high standing and status. These charges are hanging over their heads, their reputations are tarnished and they can't continue with their normal lives,' he submitted, according to the report. Full report on the publiceye.co.ls site
