Billy Ntaote
THE Transformation Resource Centre (TRC) says it would submit a petition to Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili this week calling on government to support the SADC Commission of Inquiry.
According to the rights organisation’s Programmes Manager, Mabusetsa Lenka Thamae, the petition would be in response to the commission’s wrapping up of hearings ahead of schedule on Wednesday, after the army refused to release 22 detained soldiers who were supposed to testify.
The soldiers are detained at Maseru Maximum Security Prison despite a High Court order which set them free on 5 October 2015. In her ruling, Justice Molefi Makara had set aside the decision to detain the soldiers, who are facing mutiny charges before a Court Martial, after ruling the imprisonment as unlawful.
Since the soldiers’ arrest, TRC and other civic organisations have been mobilising funds and human resources to assist them in their case.
According to Mr Thamae, Dr Mosisili should have ordered Lesotho Defence Force commander, Lieutenant-General Tlali Kamoli, to release the detained soldiers in observance of the High Court ruling and to cooperate with the Justice Mphapi Phumaphi-led commission.
“What we want is for the prime minister to protect and support Justice Phumaphi’s inquiry. We are cognisant of the attacks he levelled against the commission when it temporarily moved its hearings to Thaba-Nchu in South Africa,” said Mr Thamae.
“This is the same commission he (Dr Mosisili) continually claims he asked for from SADC. So, we would like to see him genuinely supporting its work.
“In the letter, we also request Ntate Mosisili to instruct the army to respect court orders so that the detained soldiers can have a chance to appear before the commission and give their side of the story on the mutiny charges they face.”
He said the petition would also warn the premier that his “dwindling” support for the inquiry would “fuel more political unrest” in Lesotho.
“We want to urge Dr Mosisili and his government to support the inquiry in the interests of maintaining peace and order for all Basotho.
“If the government was to end up contradicting the commission in some of its findings and recommendations, which could include criminal charges for some people, it could possibly create unrest.
“The opposition would surely put pressure on government to be accountable and to implement the findings and recommendations of the commission,” Mr Thamae said.