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–accuses NSS boss of engaging in ‘sex for favours’
Moorosi Tsiane/Hopolang Mokhopi
GLOVES are off in what promises to be a nasty fight between Basotho National Party (BNP) leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe, and the Director General of the National Security Service (NSS), Pheelo Ralenkoane.
Following his crushing court victory against the NSS boss this week, Mr Mofomobe has launched a scathing broadside at Mr Ralenkoane, accusing the latter of promoting female NSS officers in exchange for sex.
Mr Mofomobe made the scathing allegations against the NSS boss at a media briefing in Maseru yesterday. He was fresh from his victory at the Constitutional Court which nullified Mr Ralenkoane’s bid to seize his mobile phones (see story on page 2)
Mr Ralenkoane had accused Mr Mofomobe of killing prominent journalist Ralikonelo Joki and of involvement in money laundering. He had also accused the BNP leader of siphoning information from NSS officer, Ithabeleng Pitso, whom the BNP was alleged to be having an affair with. Mr Ralenkoane had attached communication between Ms Pitso and Mr Mofomobe to try and prove they were intimate and the former was abusing her position to leak information to the BNP leader.
At his briefing, Mr Mofomobe accused Mr Ralenkoane and his two deputies Motjoka Mokhoro and one Mafisa, of incompetence and of offering promotions to female NSS officers in exchange for sex.
He said he was going to suggest that a commission of inquiry be established by parliament when it returns from the winter break to investigate some of the promotions within the NSS.
“NSS is crumbling on its knees and when the parliament re-opens I am going to file for a motion that a commission of inquiry be instituted to investigate if there is no sex traded for promotions within the NSS. This will reveal whether there are no bosses’ girlfriends who have been promoted or who have been influencing transfers of other officers that they do not like. If this establishment of the commission of inquiry succeeds, some people are going to be caught red handed,” said Mr Mofomobe.
Mr Mofomobe called for the firing of the trio saying it was no longer in the best interests of the country that they remain at the helm of the national spy agency.
“It is not in the best interests of this country that such an important institution is led by Ralenkoane and his two deputies (Mafisa and Mokhoro) who are such incompetent people? They should be fired and I know they are going to be fired,” said Mr Mofomobe.
Contacted for comment, Mr Ralenkoane said “what Mofomobe is saying is nothing but nonsense”.
“I am not in a position to comment on these issues now but that is nonsense. I will give my side of the story when I am ready because at this moment I am also trying to deal with the judgement in this case. I am not satisfied with how it was handled.
“I am really disappointed especially because it was handled by the Chief Justice, but we are going to appeal that judgement because the law is very clear on these issues,” said Mr Ralenkoane.
Mr Mofomobe did not stop with Mr Ralenkoane. The tough talking politician excreted more venom on Prime Minister Sam Matekane, labelling him incompetent.
“Our Prime Minister and his cabinet are incompetent. They do not understand the issues of governance. Why does he (Matekane) think none of all previous prime ministers ever used that draconian law? He asked rhetorically.
“He should have applied his mind before authoring such a warrant but I am not surprised because it was signed by a minister in his office (Limpho Tau) who also declared that he signed it without even reading it. I mean how does one sign such a big thing without reading it? What kind of incompetence is that…
“My plea to Matekane is that he should wake up and stop being used by security service agencies to destroy his competitors because now his decision has tainted the constitution. We have an incompetent Prime Minister who let the NSS use him,” said Mr Mofomobe.
Mr Ralenkoane had also secured the warrant to seize the phones of Democratic Congress (DC) youth Leader Moeketsi Shale.
Mr Shale was also suspected of syphoning confidential information from NSS officers.
Meanwhile, the DC also held a press conference yesterday to take a swipe at the NSS.
DC leader, Mathibeli Mokhothu, accused the government of abusing power and misusing the NSS.
“We would like to express our concerns over the misuse of security service agencies by the government, especially the NSS.
“We are happy with the Constitutional Court’s judgement, not because they have ruled in the favour of our fellow politicians, but because they have protected the rule of law and the constitution which was being trampled on by incompetent politicians in the country’s administration,” Mr Mokhothu said.
Mr Mokhothu also condemned failure by the government to reprimand its members from pinning Joki’s death on the two politicians.
“This issue of people’s deaths being pinned on others is very serious and the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) should have taken a firm stand and distanced itself away from these unfounded allegations made by their members on social media, because if unattended they could cause a civil war. We are very disappointed that to date government has still not issued any statement reprimanding its people.
“Government should always be vigilant to protect the nation and its property. However, it is evident that it is failing.”
