Africa-Press – Lesotho. MPs were left furious after spy boss, Pheello Ralenkoane, stormed out of a fiery parliamentary committee meeting on Tuesday. The irate MPs have called Ralenkoane to appear again before the Prime Minister’s Ministries and Departments, Governance, Foreign Relations and Information committee on Monday.
If he refuses to attend the committee will issue summons to the police to bring him. The committee wants the National Security Service (NSS) boss to explain why he allegedly misled Prime Minister Sam Matekane to issue a warrant to confiscate Machesetsa Mofomobe’s phone in May.
The spy boss was granted the warrant to impound Mofomobe’s phones after alleging that he was receiving secret information from an NSS officer, suspected of the murder of radio journalist Ralikonelo Joki and involved in money laundering.
A High Court judgement however left Ralenkoane with egg on his face after it declared the warrant unlawful and said the NSS had no right to confiscate Mofomobe’s phones.
The scathing judgement also said the NSS had no business investigating murder and money laundering as that would be usurping the powers of the police.
The media was not allowed into the Tuesday meeting but Rethabile Letlailana, the committee chairman, told thepost that the situation quickly degenerated into chaos after Ralenkoane refused to answer questions.
“He came to the committee with a flat attitude telling me that I should allow him to leave the meeting,” Letlailana said.
“I then told him that if he feels like walking out of that official meeting he could.
I did not allow him to leave but he stood up together with his entourage and disrespectfully left the committee room. ” “We have called him again for a meeting that will be on Monday.
If he fails to appear before the committee we will then write a summon to the authorities to enforce the law. ” Peiso Kolane, the ‘Maletsunyane MP who is a member of the committee, said at one point the meeting had to “adjourn with embarrassment because that man was beyond disrespectful”.
“Maybe he does not understand the weight the committee carries and what the committee is capable of doing,” Kolane said.
“He refused to explain anything to us. He just stood up and left followed by his deputy. ”
Ralenkoane attended the meeting with an entourage of more than two dozen NSS officers, including his legal team, the deputy director and assistant deputy directors.
An MP who requested anonymity described the NSS boss’ attitude in the meeting was “arrogant and aggressive”. The MP said Ralenkoane started interjecting as Letlailana was introducing the agenda.
“He said he will not talk about the judgement because the matter was still in court,” the MP said.
“He was asked if the NSS had appealed the judgement and the NSS’ lawyer said they had not but were still within their legal rights to do so.
” He said the MPs then insisted that Ralenkoane answer their questions unless he provides evidence that the NSS appealed.
“A heated exchange ensued, with the NSS boss refusing to answer questions while MPs demanded that he answers.
” Ralenkoane however told thepost that it is a lie that he stormed out of the meeting.
“They must stop telling lies that I stormed out of that meeting,” Ralenkoane said.
“I asked for permission from the committee chairman, and he allowed me to leave. It is also not true that I left that meeting disrespectfully. ”
“I am not sure if I will appear before them again because there is no invitation yet.
” Another MP said they were taken aback by Ralenkoane’s arrogance. He said after Ralenkoane stormed out some MPs said the committee should recommend that the prime minister fire him.
“The majority of the committee generally agree that such disrespect of parliament should not be tolerated from a man of his stature.
“We cannot have an NSS boss who misleads the prime minister, takes over the police’s role to investigate crimes and then disrespects parliament.
“The judgement was bad for him but his actions on Monday have sealed his fate.”
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