Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) leader, Teboho Mojapela, was yesterday interrogated by the police for hours for allegedly “being escorted by six cars with heavily armed people”. He was released around 10:15pm last night. Police Minister Lebona Lephema told parliament yesterday that Commissioner Holomo Molibeli said Mojapela “was stopped with his convoy of six cars full of armed bodyguards”.
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“He confirmed to me that indeed Mojapela was in their office at the time where he was helping the police with investigations,” Lephema said.
He added that he was told that Mojapela was arrested after he crossed the border at around 12:40 pm near Hoohlo Primary School along the Mpilo Boulevard.
He said the police pulled Mojapela over and asked for an explanation why they were carrying the guns they had in their possession.
“The investigations are still ongoing on the matter,” Lephema said.
The Leader of Opposition Mathibeli Mokhothu told the media outside parliament that he received a report that Mojapela was arrested by heavily armed police together with his two bodyguards.
“The police say they are doing an investigation on the three of them,” Mokhothu said.
He added that the first bodyguard had already been interrogated at that time.
“They are about to interrogate the second bodyguard, then they will interrogate Mojapela lastly,” he said.
He also said other reports said Mojapela was arrested for financing some criminal activities through one of his companies.
“They will give us proof if any,” he said.
He said the other accusation is that Mojapela’s company has guns in Newcastle, South Africa.
Mokhothu also said the police told them that they were not sure if Mojapela would sleep in the cell or not.
“It is unlawful to arrest a Member of Parliament while on the way to parliament. Our lawyers need to work on this matter.”
Speaker of Parliament Tlohang Sekhamane had to adjourn the House early yesterday saying he feared for the MPs’ safety after what had happened to Mojapela.
MPs condemned Mojapela’s arrest saying it was unlawful.
The Makhaleng MP, Mootsi Lehata, said parliament’s “Standing Orders are clear that a member cannot be arrested on the way to parliament or at the parliament premises”.
The Thaba Putsoa MP, Lebohang Monaheng, urged the Speaker to suspend the House while investigating Mojapela’s arrest.
Sekhamane told the House that the matter was critical.
“This needs to be addressed with maturity,” Sekhamane said.
He adjourned the House for an hour saying they were going to investigate further and ask Lephema about the reasons for Mojapela’s arrest.
After his return after an hour, Sekhamane said he spoke with all the stakeholders including Lephema and the leaders of opposition parties who were at the police headquarters.
Sekhamane said the issue should not be politicised.
He said it is true that Mojapela was on the way to parliament, adding that the matter needed to be investigated further as the police know that the law does not allow for the arrest of an MP on the way to parliament.
Sekhamane urged Lephema to get to the bottom of the issue.
“We need to come here in freedom so that we do our job without fear,” he said.
He adjourned the House because of the situation.
“I am adjourning the House so that you leave during the day, not later than this because of what is happening.”
Staff Reporter
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