THE 2013 police uniform corruption case which had been pending for about seven years in the High Court was finally dismissed by Chief Justice Sakoane Sakoane on Monday.
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Dec. 2, 2020
THANDIE MTHIMKHULU
3 min read
Police uniform corruption case dismissed
Chief Justice Sakoane Sakoane
The case was dismissed based on untouchable evidence which was provided in court by both the Crown and the defence.
Chief Justice Sakoane said since the case had been dragging in court for long time, the accused including senior police officers who had been on suspension and a local businesswoman had lost prospects for further promotions and business opportunities.
“The case was postponed over and over again without superior grounds,” the judge said, adding that justice delayed is justice denied.
‘’We also had a bad behaviour of lawyers not showing up for hearings and I have no choice but to dismiss the case,’’ he said.
The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) had been stuck with uniform worth about M3.4 Million that could not be used because their sizes were too small, as they could only fit 13-year olds.
The provision of the uniform contract was awarded through a controversial selective tender married by allegations of corruption and violation of procurement regulations
The then Police Commissioner ’Malejaka Letooane in her evidence statement denied that the suppliers were handpicked in a dubious process.
The accused in the matter were Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Tumelo Moseme, Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), Dlamini Mphatšoane, ACP Thakane Theko and the Director of Linare Clothing (pty) LTD and New Vision Suppliers (pty) LTD, Rebecca Makhalemele and her companies.
They were charged with corruption and fraud, bribery, defeating the course of justice and unlawful possession of police uniform.
It was alleged that the accused (three police officers) fraudulently facilitated payment of M98 340 into New Visions account on July 2009 for the supply of police uniform.
It was further alleged that the accused police officers entered into a corrupt agreement with Ms Makhalemele to award a tender for the supply of police uniform to her company (New Visions) on May 2010 and received M125 000 as reward from her (Makhalemele) for the tender.
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The accused police officers being members of the LMPS Evaluation Panel were alleged to have not followed proper procurement procedures in buying police uniform and thus misused public funds.
DCP Moseme was also accused of obstructing the course of justice in that he signed a contract on March 2011 between the LMPS and Linare Clothing for the supply of police combat jackets, whereas the said procurement was under investigations by the Director of Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO).
According to the charges, the police uniform was later found at the Linare Clothing's offices located at Hopolang Building in Maseru and at Ms Makhalemele's residence in Pitseng, Leribe on February 2011.
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