Africa-Press – Lesotho. In a bid to contribute towards crime prevention in and around Qoaling community, the villagers joined hands to meet the government of Lesotho halfway with the construction of a new Police
station building. This follows a series of “inhuman” acts of violence around this village that include theft, brutal killings and attacks of women and girls among others.
The community therefore came together to form ‘Qoaling Re Lelapa Association’ with the aim of fighting poverty and criminal acts. As revealed by Qoaling
Re Lelapa Association’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Teboho Molapo, the association is legally registered with the Lesotho law Office. Molapo told Informative Newspaper that the idea of
building a Police Post came shortly after a community gathering held at Loretto Mission where members of the association approached the church and Christians, asking for forgiveness on the crimes committed
a while back by some of Qoaling community members that includes raping nuns. He added that, Qoaling Police Post is 100% sponsored by the association, stressing
that “it is the gift to the Qoaling community”. Speaking at the handover ceremony that was honoured with the presence of the Prime Minister (PM) Dr. Moeketsi Majoro together with the Minister of Police and Public Safety Hon.
‘Mamoipone Senauoane and the Commissioner of Police (COMPOL) Holomo Molibeli on Saturday, Molapo commended the government of Lesotho for
its cooperation. He said, “we are grateful that the PM and his government agreed to partner with our association to bring the police into our village”.
For his part, Majoro said he is delightful to witness the greatest achievement as the nation is clouded by extreme criminal offenses. He noted that, “each and every day we hear and
witness abuse of elderly people, women and children and other Basotho that in most cases end up dying in the hands of the young generation or other Basotho”.
He stated that most Basotho own guns, and the rate at which they come in the country is tremendously high and encouraged the COMPOL to carry on with the
operation of collecting guns. “I thank the association, I heard it works very hard and the first thing they thought of was criminal offences, as they pledged to fight corruption, they did it today and we are
witnesses,” Majoro applauded. Meanwhile, Senauoane said this opening of the Police station comes at an appropriate time when the police department is ‘head over heels’ fighting criminal activities, yet there is a shortage
of resources such as buildings. She said her ministry is working hard to bring services closer to people in order to fight criminal offenses. “In three
months’ time we have opened six police stations including this of Qoaling,” she added. COMPOL Molibeli outlined the work of police officers. He said police officers are mandated to prevent
criminal offenses and to present law perpetrators before the courts of laws among others. He encouraged the community to work together with the police in
order to accomplish a common goal. He announced that there is an anti-social behaviour program for young people. He furthered that the community has the tendency of
electing community policing teams that will work in their favour, therefore police officers are going to uproot that intolerable behaviour. He also mentioned that they are going to deal with liquor shops that close after stipulated time.
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