Brian Chiwanza
A Ministry of Home Affairs employee appeared before the Maseru Magistrate’s Court on Thursday charged with corruption.
Moipone ‘Matsoanelo Sepamo from Ha-Matala is being accused of corruptly issuing a residence permit to a Chinese man, Chen Rongqing, “sometime between August and November 2015”.
The 58-year-old appeared before Magistrate Phethisa Motanyane who granted her M1000 bail and postponed the case to 26 April 2016.
Reads Sepamo’s charge sheet: “…between the months of August and November 2015, the accused did unlawfully and deliberately make or caused to be made to the Ministry of Home Affairs, false representation that the residence permit she issued to Chen Rongqing was genuine and had followed due process and procedures, with the intention that Immigration Officers should act upon such representation to the detriment of the government of Lesotho and Ministry of Home affairs”.
When motivating his client’s appeal for bail, Advocate Tumisang Mosotho said: “The accused has another case of this nature pending before the courts. The accused was granted bail under certain conditions and has, until now, observed all those conditions. May the accused be released on bail as she has demonstrated that she is a trustworthy person. The accused is also a widow and the sole breadwinner.”
Meanwhile, in addition to the bail, Sepamo was also made to provide M7000 in surety.