The Prime Minister, Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili, says he remembers Private Fisone Nthako, among the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) soldiers who abducted him from his office, at the Ministry of Education on April 14, 1994. The Prime Minister was testifying in the High Court on Wednesday20 November,2002 at an on going case in which 23 LDF members are standing trial on a murder of a former Deputy Prime Minister, the late Selometsi Baholo, and Kidnapping-rap of Cabinet Ministers.     

The Prime Minister indicated that, he was the Minister of Education by then, and his
abductors drove him at gunpoint from his office, to an army vehicle that was parked in front of the building of his ministry. He said, when he got inside the vehicle, and was about to sit at a place of his choice, his abductors booted him and ordered him to sit where they wanted him. " It was a very intimidating incident, devastating and most humiliating when I was driven forcefully from my office, trampled upon by heavy boots,
and made to sit at a back of a van," he emphasised.     

Mr. Mosisili stressed that, the incident was very traumatic, especially after learning about the murder of Mr. Baholo. He disclosed that, soldiers never told him why they were abducting him together with his colleagues, and even at Makoanyane Barracks, where they spent the rest of that day, they never volunteered to give out the information. When responding to a prosecutor's ( Mr. Roland Suhr's) question, as to whether he asked why they were being abducted, the Prime Minister said he did not do so, because it was not easy to pose such a question to people, who were driving one at gunpoint. He reiterated that, he was helpless and was not in a position to ask his abductors such a question.     

During cross-examination by one of the defence counsels, Advocate Ts'upane Maieane, the Prime Minister was asked why he did not influence the apprehension of soldiers, who were suspected to have participated in the murder of Mr. Baholo, and kidnapping of ministers. Mr. Mosisili responded by saying it is not a duty of ministers to influence arrest of law offenders, but that it is a responsibility of law enforcement agencies including the Police Department. He conceded that, it was only after the intervention of forces of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), after the 1998's political turmoil that the situation was normalised, and murder suspects of the late Baholo were arrested, and brought to book.     

Twenty-three LDF members are being accused of allegedly murdering the late Baholo at Ha Matala on April 14, and kidnapping of cabinet ministers. The case that is before Justice Semapo Peete is continuing. The prosecutor is Mr. Roland Suhr, while the defence counsels include Advocates Moloantoa Khasipe, Hae Phoofolo, Ts'upane Maieane and Thabo Nteso.

20 November,2002