Lesotho: DCEO Clears Editor – allAfrica.com

. . . withdraws impersonation charge for lack of evidence

The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) has withdrawn an impersonation charge against the Lesotho Times and Sunday Express editor, Mohalenyane Phakela.

In a statement released yesterday, DCEO said its investigations had found “no material evidence” to prove that Mr Phakela had masqueraded as a DCEO official to obtain information relating to former Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) Commissioner, Mating Nkakala, from Maseru Toyota.

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The dramatic withdrawal of the charge follows weeks of arrest, harassment and suspense for Mr Phakela who had been told to await his day in court to answer to the charges of impersonation.

“The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) is aware of a matter of public concern circulated in the media and social network platforms relating to the arrest of one Mr Mohalenyane Phakela, a journalist at Lesotho Times newspaper.

“Concerned with the state of affairs, the DCEO wishes to extend its thoughts to all affected parties and highlight the nation on the events that led to the arrest of the journalist.

“On 22 August 2025, the DCEO was carbon-copied into information sent to the email account kphakela@gmail.com from Maseru Toyota, which the DCEO had previously engaged with during investigations. “Concerned with this, the DCEO launched an inquiry into the matter. Mr Phakela was then summoned on 29 August to assist with investigations and was later detained on reasonable suspicion of impersonation,” reads part of the statement.

Two weeks earlier, the Lesotho Times had reported that Mr Nkakala, who was under fire after a Commission of Inquiry into the running of the LCS deemed him incompetent, was being investigated by the DCEO in a separate case for allegedly stealing three plasma televisions donated to inmates by Maseru Toyota in 2022.

Instead of deploying the donation to prisons for inmates’ use, Mr Nkakala allegedly converted the TV sets to his own use.

The article quoted a DCEO letter to Maseru Toyota seeking confirmation of the donation. Mr Phakela’s publication of that article appeared to have infuriated the DCEO, which complained that its internal documents were being regularly leaked to the media.

The agency is understood to have interrogated officials from Maseru Toyota before summoning Mr Phakela, accusing him of impersonating a DCEO officer to access the letter.

On 29 August at around 5pm, DCEO agents stormed the Lesotho Times offices in Maseru West, seized Mr Phakela, confiscated his two mobile phones without a search warrant, and interrogated him until midnight.

He was later told he would be detained at the Maseru Central Police Station until 1 September, when he was expected to appear in court.

Mr Phakela recounted being interrogated by three officers led by one Mr Senooe, who accused him of impersonation. He denied the charge, insisting he had identified himself as a journalist and even provided his company email.

Despite this, Mr Senooe accused him of habitually “stealing DCEO information” and demanded his sources.

Officers unlawfully extracted data from his phones before ordering his detention, allegedly as a “lesson” to stop him from publishing leaked DCEO documents — including the September 2024 exposé on the M109 million agricultural tender scandal, which had embarrassed Mr Senooe who said he was the custodian of the leaked docket.

Mr Phakela’s lawyer, Advocate Christopher Lephuthing, who rushed to the DCEO on the day of his arrest, condemned the phones seizure as illegal, but Mr Senooe reportedly insisted Mr Phakela “had to be dealt with.”

The editor spent the night at Maseru Central Police Station and was only released at 4pm on 30 August, though the DCEO withheld his phones until 1 September.

On that day, Mr Senooe told him they were awaiting guidance from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and would summon him once they are ready to proceed with the charge.

However, since his arrest, Mr Phakela has been in limbo until last Friday night when the DCEO spokesperson, ‘Matlhokomelo Senoko, phoned him, inviting him and Adv Lephuthing to meet DCEO Director General Brigadier Mantšo Sello on Monday this week.

It was at that meeting that Brig Sello admitted the agency lacked evidence to prosecute.

This was later confirmed in yesterday’s official statement.

“Further investigations revealed there was no material evidence that the suspect had impersonated himself to obtain the information under the pretext of being a DCEO employee. Mr Phakela and his legal representative were then met by DCEO Director General Mantšo Sello and his team on 8 September 2025 and informed that the matter would not be pursued any further.”

The DCEO concluded by pledging stronger collaboration with the media in fighting corruption.

“The Directorate considers the media fraternity as one of its key strategic partners and shall continue to collaborate with the media in the fight against corruption, for the promotion of good governance through transparency and accountability.”