Dr Mahali Phamotse, who leads the United Africans Transformation (UAT) party, appeared before the Maseru Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday charged with illegal possession of a gun. She is being charged together with a Democratic Congress (DC) backbencher, Mokherane Tsatsanyane, his brother Moorosi Tsatsanyane and Relebohile Thamae, who was Phamotse’s bodyguard.
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The case was postponed to August 28, 2024 after Moorosi Tsatsanyane told the court that his legal representative was sick.
The crown alleges that the two MPs were found in possession of an unlicensed pump-action rifle that was loaded with two rounds of ammunition at the parliament premises on November 6, 2020.
The police found the gun in Dr Phamotse’s car.
Phamotse and Tsatsanyane were the Alliance of Democrats (AD) members at that time.
Thamae told the court in court papers that two weeks after he began working for Dr Phamotse he met Mokherane Tsatsanyane at then AD leader Monyane Moleleki’s home in Qoatsaneng.
“Mokherane (Tsatsanyane) left me with a pump action (gun) and told me to use it in case someone tried to attack Dr Phamotse,” Thamae’s statement reads.
He said on November 6, 2020, he drove Dr Phamotse to parliament where after she disembarked the police approached him and told him that they had information that there was an illegal gun in the vehicle.
“The police officers confiscated the gun after asking me for its licence and I could not produce it,” he said.
Police Sergeant Khaile in his statement said he received information that Dr Phamotse’s vehicle had an illegal gun in it.
“We approached the vehicle and I saw a rifle on the passenger seat and I asked for the licences which the driver failed to produce,” Sgt Khaile said.
He also reported that they had instructed Thamae to report to the police with the vehicle as it would be used as an exhibit “but he did not come, together with that exhibit”.
Dr Phamotse told thepost yesterday that these are trumped-up charges against her by the ruling party, the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP), which she defected from to lead the UAT.
She said the case was just created by politicians who disliked her for defecting from their party.
Dr Phamotse said she is surprised because she only hired a security company belonging to the Tsatsanyane’s to provide security for her.
“I am being charged with a gun that was found on my bodyguard inside my vehicle and not on me,” she said.
“I do not have any knowledge of guns and their licences as I am not interested,” she said.
“As an MP, I am entitled to own a gun but until today I never bought one. I am one of a few MPs who do not own guns.”
She said the government wants to end her political career because “they are scared that when I talk many people listen”.
“I have intelligence that even some journalists were approached and given bribes to talk bad about me.”
She said it is unfortunate that the trumped-up case was first launched by the previous Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro and his deputy Mathibeli Mokhothu.
“They were fighting me for supporting (Thomas) Thabane and now the same case has come to haunt me again.”
The government’s spokesman, Thabo Sekonyela, said Dr Phamotse was not telling the truth.
“What will the government gain from chasing her? She is not that significant,” he said.
He said crimes are investigated by the police and are prosecuted by the courts.
“The government is not involved, that job is done by the police.”
Nkheli Liphoto
