Lesotho’s Prime Minister Tom Thabane is to be charged with the murder of his late wife. That is according to the country’s deputy police commissioner Paseka Mokete.
Thabane, 80-years-old, announced on national radio on Thursday that he would step down at the end of July, but he made no reference to the case.
He instead cited old age as a reason for quitting as premier.
Click below to watch SABC reporter, Raphelang Radebe talking about Tom Thabane’s announcement to retire in January:
Pressure has been mounting on Thabane to resign over the death of former first lady Lipolelo.
She was shot dead in June 2017 near her home in the capital Maseru two days before Thabane took office.
Thabane’s current wife Maesaiah is believed to have masterminded the assassination.
Her trial date has been set for March, 17.
Thato Sibolla, the shooting survivor, believes trial against Maesaiah Thabane will not be fair:
Thabane interviewed by police
Thabane was interviewed by police at his home in Maseru in January.
The 80-year-old had been expected to present himself to Lesotho’s Deputy Police Commissioner for questioning about the murder of his first wife in 2017.
Sophie Mokoena has more detail on Tom Thabane’s interview with Lesotho police:
Pressure mounts from family members on Thabane to step down
There has been pressure for Thabane to step down from family members. Advocate Nkoya Thabane, an active member of the ruling All Basotho Convention supporting the Deputy leader Nqosa Mahao’s faction, said her father is no longer fit for a demanding Premiership position.
In an explosive interview, Thabane’s daughter said her stepmother is ‘a bad influence’ on her father and said she knows for certain that she had a hand in the death of her other late stepmother.
Click below to watch the interview with Nqosa Mahao:
Additional reporting by SABC News.
