Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Prime Minister’s Office has said that the recently departed Judge of the High Court will be afforded a state funeral at his residence at Matala Phase Two, Maseru today.
This is per the statement published on Tuesday this week. Judge Thamsanqa Nomngcongo passed away on September 2 at Maseru Private Hospital following an illness.
The Judge leaves the gap at the High Court bench which has remained with few judges. Justice Nomngcongo was born on 15 March 1953 at Mokanametsong, Quthing.
The deceased went to Villa Maria primary, then proceeded to St Theresa Minor Seminary in Roma in 1966 where he did not complete owing to the “clash” he had with the management.
He then moved to Eagle’s Peak in Qacha’s Nek where he completed his high school education. In 1975, he enrolled for the then Botswana Lesotho and Swaziland University now the National University of Lesotho to pursue legal
studies. He then went to Edinburg, Scotland between 1975 and 1976 to read Bachelor of Laws (LLB). He started working in 1977 at the Law Office, in Registry.
Also, he practised with Masoabi and Associates as the lawyer. In 1979, he was appointed as a Magistrate until 2002 when he was appointed to the bench.
While still a High Court Judge, he has served as the President of the Court Marshall Appeal of the Lesotho Defence Force. He is survived by his wife, four sons, four siblings and four
grandchildren. Last year the high court lost two judicial officers to death. Judges Lebohang Molete and Lisebo Chaka-Makhooane who passed away in May and
July respectively both serving at the Commercial Court, Division of the High Court leaving that court without judges until present. July last year the two high court judges, Justices Teboho
Moiloa and Semapo Peete went for retirement leaving vacancies on the bench. Currently, the high court has seven judges including the Chief Justice. The active high court
judges are His Lordship Sakoane Sakoane (the Chief Justice), Judge Tšeliso Monapathi, Judge ‘Maseforo Mahase, Judge Molefi Makara, Judge Moroke Mokhesi,
Judge Keketso Moahloli and Judge Polo Banyane. Meanwhile, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has recently conducted interviews for the candidates who have applied for judgeship positions. It is expected that two judges will emerge from those interviews as the announcement of those who succeeded is pending.
