THE Abia MP Thuso Makhalanyane says he will soon be suing police officers who assaulted him at a roadblock in Ha Matala on Sunday night. Makhalanyane told thepost that his knees were still aching because the police dragged him when they forcibly removed him from his car.
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He said the police officers also broke his phone.
Makhalanyane said he was from a meeting at the Maseru West Industrial Area when the police pulled him over at Ha-Matala.
He said the police asked why his car did not have a rear number plate and he said he did not have a bracket to hold it.
“They told me that they were impounding my car because I had broken the law. They said they would use the car as an exhibit in court,” Makhalanyane said.
He said when he objected and pointed out that the front number plate which showed that he is an MP was still there, the officers insisted on impounding the car.
“When they insisted, I took out my phone to call the deputy prime minister to tell her what I was going through,” he said.
He was calling Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara in her capacity as the leader of parliament responsible for the welfare of MPs.
“One officer snatched the phone and threw it to the ground, damaging it.”
“At the same time the police started hitting me on the sides of my head while pulling me out of the car.”
He said the police dragged him from his vehicle, bundled him into their car and drove to the police station.
“They still have my phone and it is broken,” he said.
Makhalanyane said one officer kept hurling insults as they manhandled him.
“They strangled me and my trousers were torn in the process.”
“I also have bruises on my knees. My body is still in pain.”
He said one of the police officers later asked him if he thought the deputy prime minister could do anything to them.
“I know their names, all of them.”
Makhalanyane said the police knew who he was and he had also shown them his passport.
He accused those police officers of meddling in politics.
“Their pomposity after putting me in the van showed it. They started accusing me of trying to take chances just because my party is in government,” he said.
He was driven to the police headquarters where he was kept until Mokhothu Makhalanyane, the chairman of all parliamentary portfolio committees, intervened to get him released.
Makhalanyane said he wants the officers to pay for what they did to him.
“They were supposed to be working hard in reducing the rampant homicides and stock theft rather than meddling in politics.”
“Mine is not a stolen car, it has a disk and a corresponding number plate.”
“If they arrest an MP like that you can imagine , what they do to ordinary citizens?”
Police spokesman, Senior Superintendent Kabelo Halahala, told thepost that he knew nothing about Makhalanyane’s assault.
“I only know that his vehicle is with us as evidence,” S/Supt Halahala said.
He said Makhalanyane was arrested because his vehicle’s disk did not match the number plate.
“That disk has also expired and it was not renewed,” he said.
He said the vehicle only had one number plate in front and nothing in the rear.
“This vehicle will stay here until the case begins. It will be used as evidence that the disks were improper.”
Nkheli Liphoto
