…over rising bribe cases
Mathatisi Sebusi
THE Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) is investigating Home Affairs Department officers allegedly demanding bribes from Basotho applying for passports.
The department is facing a massive backlog in passport issuance, reportedly because applicants are being forced to pay bribes to receive faster service.
Those who refuse often wait years for a passport, after queuing for days or even sleeping outside passport offices to secure a spot early the next day. Allegedly, this situation occurs across all 10 districts.
Even those who pay bribes have sometimes struggled to receive passports, as high demand and widespread bribery overwhelm officers, who occasionally take payments and fail to deliver the documents.
Now, the police are cracking down on a syndicate defrauding Basotho seeking passports.
LMPS spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli, revealed that the force has received an alarming number of passport fraud reports.
“Passport fraud is not something new. However, people often hesitate to report it because giving and receiving bribes are both criminal offences. If such transactions come to light, both parties can be prosecuted,” SSP Mopeli said.
He encouraged victims to report cases but cautioned that their involvement in bribery also carries legal consequences.
“Taking and giving bribes are equally punishable under the law. The police will assess each case and determine the appropriate course of action.”
SSP Mopeli also advised citizens to avoid engaging in illegal activities, particularly paying bribes.
“Desperation and the failure of government officials to deliver services efficiently often push people into offering bribes,” he acknowledged.
The crackdown follows the arrest of a Home Affairs officer under the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police for accepting a bribe in exchange for expediting a passport application. Since then, more individuals have reported similar incidents.
Mathapelo Lelimo from Ha Thamae in Maseru was arrested on September 19 for demanding and accepting bribes from Basotho seeking passports. Detective Sub Inspector Tšeliso Sesinyi, who made the arrest, said his office received a report that Lelimo was soliciting bribes for quick passport issuance. She was charged by the Maseru Magistrate’s Court and granted bail of M2000 with a M5000 surety.
The problem of Basotho struggling to access passports and resorting to bribery is not new. A parliamentary Committee on Law and Public Safety is touring the country to assess passport issuance and plans to submit recommendations to the relevant ministry.
In an interview with the Sunday Express on Friday, Committee Chairperson, Everest Ramakatsa, said they have visited eight passport offices across eight districts and will soon visit Qacha’s Nek and Thaba-Tseka.
“In all the offices we visited, passport issuance is a major challenge. The government must urgently develop strategies to ensure Basotho receive passports efficiently and on time,” Mr Ramakatsa said.
He noted that desperation often leads to bribery.
“Information about who can facilitate quicker passport processing spreads quickly within communities. Our upcoming report to Parliament will highlight the challenges identified and offer recommendations on how to resolve them.”
Mr Ramakatsa urged individuals in urgent need of passports to apply for emergency passports rather than resorting to illegal means.
“Unfortunately, many people do not report these cases because they know they are complicit in the crime,” he said.
One affected applicant, speaking on condition of anonymity, shared her experience with the Sunday Express.
She said she paid M600 at the Mafeteng passport office — on top of the official M130 fee — hoping to receive her passport within two weeks.
“My passport was only released after a month. I regret paying the bribe because I later had to pay another M600 in Mohale’s Hoek to someone else promising help. I ended up spending M1200, excluding the official passport fee. I should have just applied for an emergency passport,” she said.
She added that applying for an emergency passport was unsuccessful because she lacked a letter from her employer proving urgency. Desperation drove her to bribe officials, as she is self-employed in South Africa and requires valid documentation to cross the border.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police were unsuccessful. Its spokesperson, Marelebohile Mothibeli, said she was attending a work event, while Minister Lebona Lephema did not answer his phone.