Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Lesotho Police Staff Association (LEPOSA) has distanced itself from the findings of the Ministerial ad hoc Committee which was delivered by the Prime Minister (PM) to investigate the causes of instability
in the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS). The PM Dr. Moeketsi Majoro had, on Monday last week, unveiled the findings of the committee at ‘Manthabiseng National Convention Centre.
The ad hoc committee was made up of the Minister of Justice, Law, Constitutional Affairs and Correctional Services Professor Nqosa Mahao, who chaired it, Minister of Police and Public Safety Hon.
‘Mamoipone Senauoane, Minister of Defence and National Security Hon. Prince Maliehe and the Minister in the PM’s Office Hon. Kemiso Mosenene.
According to the findings of the committee, the following were stated as causes of instability in the LMPS: six percent salary dispute, promotions and appointments, human rights abuses, conflicts within the top brass of the
institution, intrusion of external politics and the role of LEPOSA. Meanwhile on Thursday last week LEPOSA’s National Executive Committee (NEC) came out guns blazing, alleging that the committee misdirected itself
as they did not publish its submissions put forward before the committee during the hearings. The NEC said the committee knows the problems but it is “treating
the symptoms”. The NEC alleged that grievances that they tabled before the committee but were excluded from the report are: “the dismissals of the Members
of the NEC, misappropriation of five percent inflation increase for illegal promotions in June, 2020, selective and discriminatory interdiction of Police
officers, absolute failure to deal with the rampant Police brutality, interdiction of Deputy Commissioner CIS per CR 0423/2020, interdiction of Police Commissioner pending [the following] criminal cases RCI/105/03/2020, RCI
76/01/2018 and CIV/APN/129/2019, punitive transfers, re-instatement of HR
[Human Resource] policies [and the] COVID-19 PPEs [Personal Protective
Equipment] and allowances for the same. ” The LEPOSA executive said they have only learned of the report over the media. The association had put forward that it is “disappointed” by the
manner in which the ad hoc committee had handled their woes. This they said at the press briefing held on Thursday last week. “As the stakeholders we don’t have the report,” said the association’s Secretary
General (SG) Inspector Moraleli Motloli adding that they had requested the committee’s Chairperson to suspend media briefing before he could engage them.
He also said the NEC was aware that the Commissioner of Police (COMPOL) had received the report before it could be issued for public consumption. The LEPOSA’s Treasurer Sergeant ‘Mathebe Motseki said their
association’s stance is that the LMPS is stable but “poorly” ran. She said during the hearings, the Minister of Justice and Law asked them why they want to have COMPOL Holomo Molibeli removed,
Motseki made an anecdotal of the currently incarcerated former Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli whom she said did “not”
kill anybody but people were killed under his command. “How does he differ from the COMPOL,” she charged. She said LEPOSA wants the COMPOL interdicted and investigated
pending the investigations of the court cases which he is answerable to. The similar sentiments were echoed by the SG; “we are not saying he should be fired
but be interdicted. ” On the other hand, the Chairperson of the ad hoc committee said they did not find any misconduct on the way in which the COMPOL discharges his
duties. He also highlighted that there ought to be a jurisdictional facts to warrant the interdiction. The Treasurer further alleged that the Chairperson of
the committee accused them in what he said LEPOSA sings same tune as the Deputy Prime Minister who is alleged to have asked his coalition partners why they do
not oust the COMPOL. Meanwhile, Motseki had previously been in soup after she made statements at a funeral of one of the Police officer in Mafeteng wherein she
alleged that some of the Police “took out their frustrations” to the members of the public, an act that results in police brutality. “We do not fight for
command and control of the Police force,” said the SG adding that they are for the welfare of the Police. Inspector Motloli also criticised the recurring practice of changing
the Minister of Police, citing that when the government is supposed to solve problems pertaining to the chain of command they change the Ministers and the Principal
Secretaries. On the issue of Police brutality, which is a thorny issue as members of the public accuse the LMPS of, the association claimed that there is a
“selective” interdiction, a move which they termed a “procedural malpractice”.
Motloli alleged that some Police are suspected to have killed a person in Quthing and they have been promoted. “Crime is crime irrespective of who had
committed it,” he quipped. On the findings that some of the LEPOSA’s executive committee bunk work, the association had dismissed that as “fabrication”.
Taking aim at what the PM had said that the Public Service Act does not permit the trade unions, LEPOSA said it is “wrong” to assume that they are a trade union.
“Instead of the task team dealing with the issues put before them by LEPOSA, the Enquiry focused on pruning LEPOSA’s powers making … our association as its bigger project than the enquiry itself. The Kingdom of
Lesotho is among the Community of States in the international system. Like all states, Lesotho has to fulfil its obligation under international law by abiding
and observing the conventions it has ratified,” reads the association statement. To augment their argument the association had citied the following treaties; Right to Organize and
Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No.98) and the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to organize Convention, 1948 (No.87). LEPOSA alleged that “unscrupulous” promotions have rendered the LMPS
to be in what they said is a “discrepancy”. “…sustainable resolution of the challenges facing the LMPS will not evolve from the short-term emotive and even
sneaking partisan political agendas. Only the embedding of proper and effective systems that will ring-fence the LMPS from untoward external interference while
transforming it to be accountable, improve its efficacy and professionalism as the nation’s anti-crime and safety fortress…,” reads the report in pertinent
part. The Police association challenged the government to mount a commission as stipulated in the Public Inquiries Act, 1994. LEPOSA says they want a commission which should boast the following: the commission’s
time-frame, the powers of the enquiry body, the appointment of the Chairperson, the date of the termination of the enquiry, if such proceedings should be
publicised and the weight of the recommendations of such commission. Asked if they will comply with the recommendations of the committee, the NEC said it is yet to issue a new directive on what should happen going forward. LEPOSA is a Police association which is established by the Police Act of 1998.
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