LMPS destroys illegal guns

Jul 13 2015 5:32 PM

MASERU “Today governments all over the world, which are members of the United
Nations, celebrate the International Gun Destruction Day,” this was said by the
Minister of Police and Public Safety, Honourable Monyane Moleleki when delivering
a keynote address during the destruction of illicitly firearms in Maseru, Lesotho on 9
July, 2015.

When addressing the guests, police and people who gathered to witness this decisive
exercise at Police Headquarters premises, the Minister reiterated that Lesotho is no
exception to this phenomenon.

Hon. Moleleki stated that Lesotho as a country and member state of Southern
African Development Community (SADC) ratified the SADC Protocol on the Control of
Firearms, Ammunition and Related Materials in September, 2002.

He pointed out that the Provision of Article 10 and 11 of the Protocol, require state
parties to dispose off weapons in a manner that prevents any chance of them
returning into the market or flowing into the regions conflicts.

He explained that state parties also has an obligation to destroy surplus, redundant
and obsolete state-owned firearm, ammunition or other related materials.

“The International Gun Destruction Day is a reminder to the world of all the heinous
acts committed against innocent people through the use of illegally obtained
firearms and light weapons,” the Minister recounted.
He said there is no hesitation that illegally owned firearms are used to threaten the
security of the country, and the government is highly concerned with this.

He said the government through police service as the arm for safety and security is
working hard to create conducive environment for citizens of Lesotho and foreign
business community, all to live peacefully in the country, without fear of firearms
related crime.

The minister also promised to initiate the amendment, or repeal of the Internal
Security (Arms and Ammunition) Act to replace it with a new law that is fully
complaint with regional, continental and global instruments on the control of small
arms and light weapons.

After his speech, the minister was lead to witness the display of demolition of illegal
guns.

The Acting Commissioner of Police Mr. Keketso Monaheng noted that the
destruction of illicit firearms in Lesotho is held pursuant to regional, continental and
obligations arising out of Lesotho having signed and ratified instruments aimed at
curbing the escalating crime of small arms and light weapons.

He emphasized that Lesotho as a member of Southern African Regional Police Chiefs

Cooperation Organization (SARPCCO) has obligation to implement the SADC Protocol
on the control of Firearms, Ammunition and other related materials.

“The total number of firearms that are going to be destroyed is 1003,” the Acting
Commissioner said.

He said this include different calibers most of which were recovered from various
operations held throughout the country.

He said some of the firearms have been surrendered to police.

The Acting Commissioner of police also appealed to members of the public to
continue working hand in hand with police and report firearms crimes and also give
information about unlawfully possessed of firearms so as to fight proliferation of
firearms in the country.

Lesotho held its first firearms destruction exercise on its own soil at Rothe, Maseru in
2006 through the assistance of the neighbouring South African Police Service.

By then, the method used was Open-Pit-Bomb Detonation which was later regarded
harmful and not environmentally friendly

MASERU — Justice Minister Haae Phoofolo says he suspects that ritual murder suspect Lehlohonolo
Scott could have been helped to escape from his “ultra-security jail cell” on Sunday.
“The manner in which this suspect escaped from jail is suspicious,”Phoofolo said during his speech to
parliament on Friday.
“We will do what we can to establish who could have aided him and take serious measures against them.”
Scott escaped from Maseru Central Prison in circumstances that have baffled prison and police
authorities.
This has triggered suspicion that some prison authorities could have helped him to escape.
But LCS’s senior assistant commissioner Matingoe Phamotse has said he does not believe that Scott
received inside help to escape.
Scott was arrested in July in connection with the murder of Moholobela Seetsa in January and Kamohelo
Mohata, in June.
Both bodies were found dismembered, raising suspicions that some parts could have been harvested for
ritual purposes.
Scott is being charged together with his mother, ’Malehlohonolo Scott.
Phoofolo told parliament that all necessary measures were being taken to re-arrest Scott.
“As the minister responsible for prisons, I appeal to the public to calm down but support and cooperate
with us to re-arrest this suspect,” Phoofolo said.
Phoofolo explained that upon his arrival in prison, Scott was locked in a high-security block after being
“assessed by prison personnel”.
“He was locked in solitary confinement on one of the prison’s ultra-security sections, known as ‘New
Block”. He was kept under tight security because of the nature of the crime he is suspected to have
committed,” Phoofolo said.
“This was done to ensure public safety, that of other prisoners and Scott himself.”
When contacted for comment on Friday to explain why his statement differed from Phamotse’s claim that
Scott was not aided, Phoofolo told the Sunday Express that he was not “pointing fingers at anyone”.
“I’m not saying we’ve established for sure that Scott was aided out of prison,” he said.
“I’m not saying for sure that he was assisted, but it’s one of the possible scenarios which need to be
looked into as they are part and parcel of the whole investigation.”
“However, if anybody at all had a hand in helping Scott escape from jail, we will take drastic measures
against them.”
Phamotse told this paper on Friday that he could not comment on the minister’s statement in parliament.
He said since the minister responsible for prisons had issued a response on Scott’s escape “it’s not my
place to comment on it anymore”.
“My senior has spoken so there’s nothing more for me to add onto it. It would be an act of
insubordinatation on my part to comment on what he has said,” Phamotse said.
Earlier in the week Phamotse said they do not understand how Scott escaped as the security is very tight.
“We suspect that he went through the small window but we don’t understand how he went through that
window as security is tight. We have security day and night,” Phamotse said.
Police spokesperson Masupha Masupha said when the police went to Scott’s cell they found a letter and
his bed was leaning against the wall.
A substance suspected to be petroleum jelly (Vaseline) was found on the burglar windows, Masupha said.
“The same substance was found on the walls of another cell and near the wall there was a stove and a
chair that were against the wall.”
Masupha said there were foot prints on the roof and a trail that showed that a person had crawled on the
roof.
He dismissed rumours that Scott could have used muti to escape.
Since his dramatic escape the rumour that Scott used magical powers to vanish from prison has gone
viral.
“We are investigating his disappearance and we will arrest him like we did before,” Masupha said.