Prime Minister Sam Matekane's security apparatus has been plunged into severe jeopardy.
This after the National Security Service (NSS)'s signal jammer went missing from that troubled national spy agency. Also missing is a high calibre AK 47 rifle.
Authoritative sources tell the Lesotho Times if these vital gadgets end up in the hands of violent famo gangs, as they suspect, the NSS's work in protecting mainly the Prime Minister and other VIPs, alongside other security agencies, could be severely compromised.
Famo groups, linked to umpteen cases of violent murders, which have catapulted Lesotho into the ranks of the world's top six most homicidal nations, have openly expressed their disdain for Mr Matekane after his government formally banned them In May this year. They have largely ignored the ban as they have continued with their murderous streaks, sometimes claiming more lives in mass shootings.
Signal Jammer & why it's important
A signal jammer is a device designed to disrupt wireless communications. In a world where communication happens through frequencies, signal jammers are regarded as the ultimate "party crashers".
When the Prime Minister is officiating at events, where the risk profile is regarded as high, or is hosting other foreign leaders, the NSS deploys its signal jammer to disrupt mobile phone communications. The highly secretive jammer enables security agencies to disrupt communications of any people who might be monitoring VIP movements and communicating to effect any nefarious plots.
Equally when the jammer is used by criminals, they can cause the same signal-blocking effect on smartphones and even vehicle-tracking devices to get the better of the security people protecting the PM and any other VIPs. It is worse if the jammer lands in the hands of criminals.
Circumstances of how the jammer went missing remain fuzzy. But authoritative sources say under fire Acting Director General Lebohang Mafisa had removed it from the NSS's Cyber Security Department for unknown reasons. Also missing is a high calibre AK47, which the sources say was used by one of Mr Mafisa's bodyguards.
"The absence of these items from our armoury stock is a huge cause for concern, particularly in light of all the discord here....," said an authoritative source.
"Failure to account for these items puts the PM's safety and other VIPs, especially visiting heads of state, in severe jeopardy. Why the signal jammer and why the AK...." asked an official of the motive behind the "theft" of the two items, suggesting they could be used in tandem to cause harm.
The NSS has been in turmoil after Mr Mafisa moved to institute changes that were resisted by the rank and file at the organisation. He had been appointed Acting DG in April 2024. His contract was further extended by another three months till October 24. It has since been extended by another month until 1 November 2024, pending the appointment of a substantive DG. The government has since advertised the post, calling for only applicants with 20 years experience in intelligence work. Mr Mafisa is in the running after he submitted his application, the Lesotho Times has learned.
However, his detractors accuse him of wroughting chaos during his short acting stint. He had allegedly created a lot of discord in the spy agency, which has largely remained a bystander as crime spirals out of control.
Mr Mafisa's detractors accused him of seeking to consolidate his power by side-lining intelligence officers seen as having been close to his predecessor, Pheello Ralenkoane. This he allegedly did in anticipation that he will be confirmed into his position.
Minister in the Prime Minister's office, Limpo Tau, had moved in to halt the redeployment of 16 mid to high ranking officers at the NSS. The redeployment would have been in addition to others Mr Mafisa had already made soon after he was appointed Acting DG. They were all seen as part of his ploy to consolidate his power by bringing his allies closer while side-lining others.
Mr Tau confirmed to the Lesotho Times last week that he had halted the redeployments for now.
On the latest allegations of missing gadgets, Mr Tau this week said the government was unaware of the allegations and would probe them.
However, Mr Tau warned: "Proliferation of illegal arms, especially into group formations that have violent tendencies, jeopardizes every Mosotho's safety and security.
"Government works through public officers (and in this particular case, security officers) throughout ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). All such officers are entrusted by the Government to do what is right, in accordance with their terms of references and of course with full disclosure of what is or what could be happening. GOL trusts that each officer across MDAs is doing just that. Any deviation from the norm shall have serious repercussions."
Members of security agencies have been accused of enabling violent famo gangs by arming them with weapons stolen from State's armouries. Some security agents are in fact thought to be famo gang members. The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) is even trying to fire three of its officers accused of partaking in famo activities. The three - Constables Manamolela Molefi, Ntuta Mokhatholane, and Tšepo Sekhoola - are accused of having been on the payroll of wanted famo gang leader, Tšepiso 'Mosotho' Radebe. Radebe is on the run over the killing of five family members in Leribe.
The three constables have since won a temporary interdict halting their firing pending the adjudication of their case challenging the dismiss.
A famo leader has previously confirmed publicly that security agents were among their members. More than 70 weapons stolen from Mafeteng police Station in October 2021 are thought to have landed in the hands of famo gangsters.
Three police officers were arrested and charged over the theft but the case appears to have gone cold.
Famo gang leaders have mocked the government's ban of their organisations. They have said they do not recognise the ban as they regard themselves as legitimate organisations, operating in terms of the Societies Act. In fact, after the ban several mass shootings, masterminded by famo gangsters from different groups, have worsened.
One of the prominent famo leaders, Sarele "Lehlanya" Sello, recently mocked Prime Minister Matekane, saying the premier was "discriminately" targeting his group, Terene ea Khosi Mokata.
Some of the famo gangs are said to have been shell shocked by Mr Matekane's landslide victory at the October 2022 elections. A bunch of them had considered "taking out" the prime minister before he could be sworn in, the Lesotho Times was informed then. The plot did not proceed as they seem to have been repelled by Mr Matekane's high powered private security detail then.
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Lesotho's recent Prime Ministers have survived assassination attempts. Prime Minister Phakalitha Mosisili survived death by a whisker when an armed gang stormed State House in April 2009.
Many were later jailed and Mr Mosisili visited them in custody in October 2021 as part of processes to pardon them. Thomas Thabane went into exile in South Africa for more than a year fearing for his safety. In August 2014, he fled to South Africa again to escape assassination by renegade members of the armed forces only to return under South African armed protection.
"Security agencies should always have the capacity to protect the Prime Minister from enemies both within (security agencies) and outside. If some of the means required to fulfil those functions are taken away....there is cause to worry," said an official.
"There is particularly every cause to worry about the theft of the jammer. The government should trace where it went and ensure its return to the cyber security department...It's a crucial gadget when we do our work of protecting the Prime Minister, amongst other duties.
"It is also common cause that some security agents are pilfering state weapons to these famo gangs. An AK is a powerful weapon to just let loose....."
The Lesotho Times's repeated efforts to interview Mr Mafisa have failed as he has not been returning our calls since we started exposing the rot at the NSS.
