Ex-ministers threaten to sue govt

Two former ministers have vowed to sue the state for allegedly tarnishing their reputations over claims they failed to return government-issued laptops after leaving offices some years ago.

The threat by former mining and justice ministers, Serialong Qoo and Advocate Lekhetho Rakuoane, respectively, comes hot on the heels of the Government Assets Search Recovery Task Team (GASERTT) demand that they return the laptops within seven days.

The team’s letters, issued on Thursday last week, gave the duo until today (Friday) to comply.

Both Advocate Rakuoane and Qoo have confirmed recipient of the letters, denying to comment further on the content of the communication.

They said they were currently working with their legal teams to pursue a defamation case.

Part of the letter signed by the chairperson of the team, Advocate Seeng Matšosa to Qoo and titled: Recovery of a laptop allocated to your office use in the ministry of mining reads: “In 2022, the cabinet approved the establishment of the Government Assets Search and Recovery Team, for finding and recovering all government’s assets in the hands of individuals and institutions, for private.

“The team has identified that while working as the minister of mining, you were allocated a laptop which you never returned. You are therefore, advised to return the said laptop to the task team at the office of the prime minister within seven working days starting from the date of serving,” the letter noted.

In his responding letter the following day, Qoo denied ever being issued with a laptop by the government.

He conveyed his concern and disappointment regarding the implication by the team that he might have failed to return state property.

The former minister said he considers the allegations serious and unfounded, citing that they could potentially damage his reputation.

According to Qoo, the accusations warrant thorough investigations and verification before any formal demands were made, given the potential for reputational harm.

“I would like to clarify that at no time during my service in that capacity was I issued or allocated a government laptop and as such, I am unable to return an item that was never in my position. I am considering taking legal steps to address this matter,” he added.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Adv Rakuoane said he has not yet responded to the team’s demand, noting he was currently consulting with his legal team to determine the best course of action.

However, he maintained that he was never given a laptop, but a cell phone and iPad. The contract for these devices were set to expire in 2022, prior to his departure from government.

Adv Rakuoane stated that the renewal of the contract was not his responsibility as it would have occurred after he left office. He left office after losing his parliamentary seat during the October 2022 general elections.

The task team comprises 11 officers including members of the Lesotho Defence Force, Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS), National Security Service (NSS), legal experts, officials from departments under the prime minister’s office, as well as the ministries of Finance and Development Planning, Labour and Employment, and Public Service.

In a joint sitting in February this year, parliamentary portfolio committee comprising the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the prime minister’s ministries and departments, governance, foreign relations and information cluster, the law and public safety cluster, criticised the credentials of the team, saying it was not built on any merit or expertise.

In a different sitting with the prime minister’s ministries and department, governance, foreign relations and information cluster the same month (February), the committee blasted the team’s chairperson, Advocate Matšosa.

The committee accused her of withholding certain names of high-profile individuals who had illegally occupied governments assets from her report.

Some of the information she had initially withheld and later disclosed include the plots illegally registered under the names of the deputy prime minister, Nthomeng Majara, Justice ‘Maseshophe Hlajoane, Dr Karabo Mokobocho, Thato Ramone, Dr ‘Mamphono Khaketla, and Mpeo Mahase-Moiloa.

Advocate Matšosa confirmed before the committee that she had withheld the names after she was instructed to do so, without disclosing who had given that order.

During his inauguration in 2022, Prime Minister Sam Matekane announced a key initiative to tackle wastage and promote accountability within government.

He expressed concern that some individuals were in unlawful possession of state assets dating back to 1966 when the country gained independence from Britain.

In her annual consolidated financial report for the year ended March 31, 2022, Auditor General ‘Mathabo Makenete expressed concern that several government ministries fail to maintain asset registers.

She said this leads to inadequate disclosures of government-owned assets, including infrastructure, property, and equipment.

Many of the government-owned assets under scrutiny were in a state of despair and abandonment, she pointed out.

The neglect had potentially caused the government to incur substantial losses in terms of foregone revenue and maintenance costs, Makenete noted, without providing figures.

“Most of these government-owned assets are abandoned and dilapidated,” she added.