Two women appeared in the Maseru Magistrates Court on the 11th December 2019, accused of fraud and money laundering.

The two women are the twenty-eight years old Mpolai Mpopo from Taung Ha-Pii, who is working for Mofumahali oa Rosari Primary School in Mohale’s Hoek, who is also a secretary general for Basotho National Party (BNP) in the Taung constituency, and her twenty-eight years old friend Likeleli Mokhati who is a resident in the Taung constituency.

They were each handed a bail of M800.00 and surety of M10 00.00 which they failed to pay, and they will appear in court on the 20th December 2019.

The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) deputy spokesperson Sergeant ‘Mareabetsoe Mofoka, said in August 2018, two people reported to the police that they were each defrauded M7000.00 and M10 000.00 respectively.

She said the victims sent the money to the suspects through M-Pesa, and she had promised them employment in the Passports and Birth Certificates Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In her report, Mofoka indicated that the victims submitted their applications to the suspect in their constituency so that she hires them.

She said the woman called the victims informing them that their applications are successful, and instructed them to send money through M-Pesa account of a cell number she gave them.

According to Mofoka, the victims sent the money and the suspect ordered them to wait for messages that will be sent to them through their cell phone short messages notifying them of when they should come for interviews and workshops before they start coming to work.

She said that was the last time the victims heard from the suspect, and they reported the incident to the police seeking for assistance. 

Mofoka said so far eight people have been duped their money with the same trick by the same people, and they have lost a total of more than M34 000.00.