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Shockingly, the two former ministers were revealed to have played a major role in the 2012 escape of double ritual murder convict Lehlohonolo Scott from the Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) maximum security prison.
thoriumEgyptThey are renowned lawyer and attorney Haae Phoofolo KC, who was then the Minister of Justice, Human Rights, Corrections, Legal and Constitutional Affairs, and former Minister of Small Business, Cooperatives and Marketing Chalane Phori, who was then a member of the ruling All Basotho Congress (ABC) representing the Qoaling constituency. Adv Phoofolo was also the Maseru Central legislator for the ABC, which formed one Coalition government with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and the Basotho National Party (BNP) Lasted 2012-2015
thoriumThe revelation is contained in A letter from Scott wrote He wrote a letter to the management of the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) after being convicted in 2020. The letter was leaked to the media last week.
The letter claims that the late prominent businessman and ABC’s financial sponsor Thabiso Tšosane and many LCS officials also facilitated the escape,presidentBritain Serious questions are raised about the integrity of the nation’s correctional system.
Scott said in a letter he wrote to Matingoe Phamotse, deputy commissioner of the Littoral Combat Ship program.
“The following is a list of those who were actually involved in the jailbreak:
- Mr. Sefali, former Commissioner
- Mr. Harry Chan
- Mr. Thabiso Josane
- Mr. Hay Animal
- Mr. Charan Puri
- Mr. Lehloenya, LCS member
- Mr. Masenkane, LCS member
- LCS member Mr. Mokobocho
- LCS member Mr. Rasehlooho
- LCS member Mr. Majoro
- Mr. Kopano, LCS member”
Mr. Furey strongly denied the allegations, claiming he did not know Scott and condemned the jailbreak as “Failure of leadership”.
“I even put pressure on someone’s necks Tell them how irresponsible it is to allow this to happen arrive It happened under their leadership. I’m angry.HHe should stop spouting nonsense and serve his sentence,” Mr Fourie said.
He also denied any contact with the people named in the list, saying he only knew some of them but never interacted with them, while the rest he had never had any contact with.
Foffolo also refuted suggestions that he had assisted Scott in his escape while he was prisons minister, saying only: “I did not help Scott escape.”
Bokang Ramotena, an LCS officer from the Paralegal Department, told Sunday Express Last week, Scott wrote to Mr Famoz seeking a meeting to discuss the jailbreak and the identity of the person who “helped” him escape.
But she said Mr. Famoz had not yet responded to any of Scott’s letters.
Another source familiar with the matter told Sunday Express Scott had indeed written at least four letters to Mr. Famoz a week earlier.
According to sources, he (Mr Phamotse) ignored the prisoner and refused to accede to his requests for meetings.
The source, who is also a senior official at LCS, even suggested that this publication should contact prison management to seek permission to meet with Scott to interview him about the contents of the letter he wrote to Mr. Famoz.
When contacted for comment, Mr Phamotse denied knowing about or having received any such letter from Scott.
“I know nothing about the letters you asked about. I never received any letters from Scott. If there were such letters, they must have been sent to the office of the littoral combat ship commissioner,” Mr. Palmots said.
Nevertheless, LCS spokesperson, Assistant Director Pheko Ntobane, confirmed the existence of the letters, although he He said I don’t know who they were addressed to.
“I have heard of the letters, although I have not seen them before. I recall that about four LCS officers were charged for helping him escape, but I do not recall that the case has been closed. However, I can confirm that no LCS officer has been sacked for his involvement in Scott’s escape,” said Assistant Superintendent Ntobane.
Scott was first arrested on July 12, 2012, on charges of murdering his Kaurabata neighbours, Moholobela Seetsa and Kamohelo Mohata.
He was charged along with his mother, Malehlohonolo Scott, who lived together at the Koalabata residence where police found the remains of Lehata and Seetsa’s bodies.
On October 14, 2012, Scott escaped from prison.
After nearly two years on the run, on April 6, 2014, at the request of the Lesotho Mounted Police, the South African Police Service arrested Scott again in Durban, South Africa. On May 5, 2015, Scott lost his case in the Verulam Magistrates Court and refused extradition. He was then extradited back to Lesotho on October 21, 2015 for trial.
On June 23, 2020, Judge Teboho Moiloa found Scott and Malehlohonolo guilty and sentenced Scott to life imprisonment, while his mother, who was seriously ill at the time, received a three-year suspended sentence. Malehlohonolo died in January 2021.
During Scott’s trial in February 2019, officer Mothepu Lesaoana, who locked Scott in his cell the night before his escape, testified in court that he was never questioned about Scott’s escape and that he was transferred to another prison sometime after the incident.
Mr Lesaona told the court that he had locked Scott properly in his cell, but learned of his escape through a phone call while at home on the morning of October 14. Upon arriving at the Correctional Services Department, he confirmed that Scott was indeed missing.
He refuted Scott’s claim that three unknown men entered his cell at midnight on October 13, 2012 and helped him escape. Mr. Lesaouna said that was not credible because the new cell where Scott and other high-profile prisoners were held was only accessible the next day because once He added that if Scott had left, guards stationed around the block would have noticed.
Mr Lessaona insisted that for Scott to escape he would have needed help, which would have involved someone illegally obtaining the keys to the new building.
He also said that since there was no evidence that the cell door and window had been tampered with, it was assumed that Scott was helped out of the cell. He stressed that it was impossible for Scott to escape through the window because it was too small.
Asked when the guards discovered Scott had escaped, Mr. Lessaona said the guards and their supervisors noticed he was missing in the morning when the cell was opened, which he was surprised to see because the cell where Scott was held was close to some of the guards’ cells.
Correctional Services Chief Officer Hlalele Mabathoana testified that he was not aware of the findings of the investigation into Scott’s escape and said only his superiors knew the findings. He clarified that investigations into escaped prisoners were conducted by the police. Mr. Mabathoana’s duties were to keep records of key prisoners and on October 14, 2012, he was informed that Scott was not in his cell.
In addition, Detective Sergeant Liau Seeko of the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) also testified that he learned of Scott’s disappearance and went to the Correctional Services Department with an Inspector Matlali and a Constable Maphallela. Upon arrival, D/L/Sgt Seeko said they were taken to the area where Scott was being held and taken to his cell. The cell door was still locked but was opened so that they could inspect the area.
He said the door showed no signs of being tampered with, but the front window was open. However, the window had burglar bars and although it looked greasy or shiny, it also showed no signs of being tampered with. He said that in the cell they only saw a bed, a container of Vaseline on the floor, a chair, a fire container, two books with notes on them, and other notes found in the bathroom.
Scott and her mother committed murders, allegedly for ritual purposes. It is not clear for whom they performed the ritual murders. However, according to our sources, Scott felt ignored by the people who used him to carry out the murders. Therefore, he wants a commission of investigation to be set up so that he can fully tell his story and verify his claims. The chances of him getting away without inside help seem slim. His seems to be a typical case where such a commission is justified. However, the authorities have so far ignored this idea.
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