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Oct. 10, 2020

STAFF REPORTER

2 min read

Court ties LCA hands

Court ties LCA hands

LCA CEO 'Mamarame Matela

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THE High Court on Friday blocked the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA)’s decision to revoke the Vodacom Lesotho (VCL)’s unified license pending finalisation of the case in court.

This was after LCA had earlier that day canceled VCL’s license, accusing the telecommunications giant of failing to pay its fine.

In response, VCL rushed to the court to seek an interdiction stopping LCA from interfering with its services.

The respondents in this case which continues before Justice Thamsanqa Nomngcongo include LCA chairman of the board, LCA and the authority’s chief executive officer ’Mamarame Matela.

As a result, Justice Nomngcongo ordered the LCA chairman to within 14 days remit to the Registrar of the High Court a record of proceedings pursuant to which the respondents arrived at the decision that the applicant contravened conditions of its unified license to the extent that it allegedly contravened the law.

The court also demanded to know why the chairman arrived at the decision to impose a fine of M134 million on the applicant.

Justice Nomngcongo further instructed the respondents to explain how they arrived at the decision to revoke VCL’s license.

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Court ties LCA hands

VCL boss Philip Amoateng

So on October 23, the respondents are expected to show cause if any, why the decision that VCL be slapped with the M134 million penalty should not be reviewed and set aside. 

The court also wants to know why respondents should not be interdicted from pursuing to adjudicate any previous allegations of non-compliance to the Communications Law by VCL.

The court also ordered the respondents to be interdicted from including Mpesa revenue as part of telecommunications in the computation of regulating fees.

It further ordered the respondents to pay legal fees in respect of the application.

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