MASERU – Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli remains the incumbent police chief after the High Court on Tuesday ruled that the prime minister had been misinformed when he forced him into retirement.
news
March 10, 2020
STAFF REPORTER
2 min read
Molibeli remains police boss
Holomo Molibeli is still the police chief
Handing down the verdict, Justice Molefi Makara took a shot at the people who advised Prime Minister Motsoahae Thabane to force Molibeli to retire and advise the King to appoint another police commissioner.
Molibeli had asked the court to review Thabane’s decision to force him to retire before his official retirement time.
This was after Thabane had written to His Majesty on January 10, advising him to retire Molibeli and replace him with Assistant Commissioner Jankie Hlaahla.
“The court is under the impression that those who advised the PM must have provided him with inappropriate information that the applicant had retired,” Judge Makara said.
Prime Minister Motsoahae Thabane
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He said Thabane was determined to ensure that Molibeli left office at any cost, adding that even after the court interdict he still pursued the matter.
He said providing the King with incorrect information that Molibeli had retired when he had not compromised the methodology of the desired goal of an effective service by the police.
He said Thabane should have been advised to reschedule his timing to retire Molibeli lest his decisions were interpreted otherwise.
The judge warned against abuse of public powers, saying executive decisions must be rational and in accordance with the rule of law.