Africa-Press – Lesotho. COMMISSIONER of Police Holomo Molibeli has been ordered to pay the cost of suit from his own pocket in a power fight with his deputy, Beleme Lebajoa. High Court judge, Justice Tšeliso Mokoko, made the ruling last week when Commissioner Molibeli through his personal lawyer Advocate Tekane Maqakachane applied for his recusal.
Justice Mokoko said Commissioner Molibeli’s “behaviour requires hefty damages based on client and attorney scale”. This is the case in which DCP Lebajoa has asked the court’s intervention after Commissioner Molibeli made an attempt to remove him as head of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID).
DCP Lebajoa then rushed to the court to defend his position that he should hold his position until the case is finalised. The court then issued an interim order that DCP Lebajoa should still be in his office.
While the case was still in the court, Commissioner Molibeli withdrew DCP Lebajoa’s bodyguards saying they were being investigated by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offence (DCEO).
DCP Lebajoa approached the court again asking for his bodyguards to be reinstated. The court ordered Commissioner Molibeli to return the guards but he did not comply.
DCP Lebajoa then dragged his boss to court for contempt of court. On the day of hearing, Commissioner Molibeli asked the court to postpone the case while he looked for a lawyer of his choice to help in the case.
The court granted him that postponement. Then Commissioner Molibeli came to court with his lawyer Advocate Maqaqachane asking Justice Mokoko to recuse himself from the case.
On the other hand, DCP Lebajoa’s lawyers, Advocate Salemane Phafane KC and Advocate Rethabile Setlojane said they were not ready as they received the affidavits 15 minutes before the recusal case was launched.
Advocate Setlojoane then asked the court to penalise Commissioner Molibeli by making him pay for the lawyers’ expenses for that day. Commissioner Molibeli will not pay from government coffers because he had asked the court to allow him to find his own personal lawyer instead of being represented by the attorney general. The commissioner could pay as much as M50 000 from his pocket.
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