Letsatsi Selikoe
IN a shocking revelation, it has come to light that two former ministers allegedly played significant roles in the escape of double ritual murder convict, Lehlohonolo Scott, from the Maximum Security wing of the Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) in 2012.
These are prominent lawyer, Advocate Haae Phoofolo KC, who served as Minister of Justice, Human Rights, Correctional Services, Law and Constitutional Affairs at the time, and former Small Businesses, Cooperatives, and Marketing Minister, Chalane Phori, who was then the then ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) member of parliament for the Qoaling constituency. Adv Phoofolo was also the Maseru Central legislator under the same ABC which had formed a coalition government with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Basotho National Party (BNP) which lasted from 2012-2015
The revelations are contained in a letter which Scott wrote to the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) management after his 2020 conviction. The letter was leaked to the media last week.
In terms of the letter, the late prominent businessman and a financial sponsor of the ABC, Thabiso Tšosane, and a host of LCS officers had also facilitated the escape,raising serious questions about the integrity of the nation’s correctional system.
Scott states in one of his letters he wrote the LCS deputy Commissioner, Matingoe Phamotse.
“Below is a brief list of those persons who indeed had participated in that escape incident:
- Mr Sefali ex-commissioner
- Mr Khalechane
- Mr Thabiso Tšosane
- Mr Haae Phoofolo
- Mr Chalane Phori
- Mr Lehloenya, member of the LCS
- Mr Masenkane, member of the LCS
- Mr Mokobocho, member of the LCS
- Mr Rasehlooho, member of the LCS
- Mr Majoro, member of the LCS
- Mr Kopano, member of the LCS”
Mr Phori vociferously denied the allegations, asserting that he did not know Scott personally and condemned the escape as a “failure of leadership”.
“I was even on some people’s necks regarding the issue, telling them how irresponsible they were to have allowed such things to happen under their leadership. I am so pissed. He should stop his nonsense and serve his time,” Mr Phori said.
He also denied having links with people mentioned in the list, saying some he just knew but never associated with while the rest were people he had never even crossed lines with.
Adv Phoofolo also refuted claims he had facilitated Scott’s escape as then minister responsible for prisons. He simply said, “I did not help Scott escape”.
An LCS officer from the Paralegal department, Cadet Officer Bokang Ramotena, had told the Sunday Express last week that Scott had written letters to Mr Phamotse, seeking audience with the latter to discuss the escape and identities of people who had “helped” him escape.
But Mr Phamotse had not responded to any of Scott’s letters, she said.
Another source familiar with the issue, confirmed to the Sunday Express a week ago, that Scott had indeed written at least four letters now to Mr Phamotse.
According to the source, he (Mr Phamotse), had however, ignored the prisoner, refusing to entertain his request for a meeting.
The source who is also a senior LCS officer, even suggested that this publication should approach the prison management, to seek permission to meet with Scott for an interview on the contents of his letters to Mr Phamotse.
Mr Phamotse denied knowing about or ever receiving such letters from Scott when contacted for comment.
“I know nothing about the letters you ask about. I have never received any letters from Scott. If there are any letters to that effect, they must have been addressed to the LCS Commissioner’s office,” Mr Phamotse said.
Nonetheless, the LCS spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent Pheko Ntobane, confirmed the existence of the letters, although he said he did not know who they were addressed to.
“I have heard of the letters although I have not seen them before. What I recall is that about four LCS officers were charged for helping him escape but I do not remember the case being finalised. However, I can confirm that no LCS officer has been fired for participating in Scott’s escape,” Ass Supt Ntobane said.
Scott was first arrested on 12 July 2012 for the murder of his Koalabata neighbours, Moholobela Seetsa and Kamohelo Mohata.
He was accused alongside his mother, ‘Malehlohonolo Scott, with whom he stayed at their Koalabata residence where body parts of Lehata and Seetsa were retrieved by the police.
Scott escaped from prison on 14 October 2012.
After almost two years on the run, Scott was re-arrested in Durban, South Africa, on 6 April 2014, by the South African Police Service at the request of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service. He lost his fight against extradition in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on 5 May 2015. He was subsequently extradited to Lesotho on 21 October 2015, to stand trial.
Justice Teboho Moiloa found Scott and ‘Malehlohonolo guilty on 23 June 2020 and sentenced Scott to life imprisonment while the mother, who was gravely ill at the time, was slapped with a suspended three-year sentence. ‘Malehlohonolo died in January 2021.
During Scott’s trial in February 2019, the officer who locked Scott in his cell on the night before his escape, Mothepu Lesaoana, testified in court that he was never questioned or interrogated about Scott’s escape and that he was transferred to another station sometime after the incident.
Mr Lesaoana told the court that he had properly locked Scott in his cell but learned of Scott’s escape on the morning of October 14 through a phone call while he was at home. Upon arriving at the Correctional Service, he confirmed that Scott was indeed missing.
He refuted Scott’s claim that three unknown men entered his cell at midnight on 13 October 2012, and helped him escape. Mr Lesaoana stated that that scenario was implausible, as the New Block, where Scott was held along with other high-profile inmates, was only accessible the following day once it had been closed. He added that guards stationed around the block should have noticed if Scott had left.
Mr Lesaoana insisted that for Scott to have escaped, he would have needed assistance, possibly involving someone illegally obtaining keys to the New Block.
He also said that, because there was no evidence of tampering with either the cell door or windows, it suggested that Scott was aided in leaving his cell. He emphasised that Scott could not have exited through the windows as they were too small.
When asked when the guards realised Scott had escaped, Mr Lesaoana said that both guards and their supervisors only noticed his absence when the cells were opened in the morning. He found this surprising, as the block where Scott was held was close to where some guards stayed.
A chief officer at the Correctional Service, Hlalele Mabathoana, had testified that he was unaware of the outcome of the investigations into Scott’s escape, stating that the findings were known only to superiors. He clarified that investigations into escaped inmates were conducted by the police. Mr Mabathoana’s responsibility was to keep records of high-profile inmates, and on 14 October 2012, he was informed that Scott was not in his cell.
Furthermore, Detective Lance Sergeant Liau Seeko of the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), had also testified that he was informed of Scott’s disappearance and went to the Correctional Service with one Inspector Matlali and one Police Constable Maphallela. Upon arrival, D/L/Sgt Seeko said they were taken to the section where Scott was held and led to his cell. The cell door was still locked but was opened so they could examine the area.
He said there was no sign of tampering with the door, but a front window was open. However, the window had burglar bars, which also showed no signs of tampering, although they appeared oily or shiny. Inside the cell, he said they observed only a bed, a Vaseline container on the floor, a chair, a fire container, two books with notes placed on them, and additional notes found in the bathroom.
Scott and her mother committed the murders, allegedly for ritual purposes. It is not clear on whose behalf they committed the ritual murders. However, according to our sources Scott feels neglected by the people who used him to commit the murders. He thus wants a commission of inquiry established to enable him to fully tell and have his side of the story verified. It seems improbable, that he would have escaped without inside help. His seems a typical case in which such a commission is justified. However, authorities have hitherto given that idea a cold shoulder.
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