Thomas Thabane, Lesotho’s former prime minister, was charged with the murder of his estranged wife on Tuesday, in a case that has shaken the southern African highland kingdom.
At a preliminary court interview in closed rooms at the High Court of Lesotho, his current wife, Maesaiah Thabane, who has also been accused of murder, sat beside him as the charges against them were read out.
Both Maesaiah Thabane, 43, and the former premier, now 82, have denied any role in the assassination. As the charges were read out, Thomas Thabane, dressed in a navy blue pin-striped suit and a light blue shirt, sat peacefully next to his wife, who was dressed in a maroon dress and a straw hat.
Days before Thomas Thabane was sworn in as premier in June 2017, Lipolela Thabane was shot dead while sitting in her car near her home in Maseru. At the time of her death, they were going through a contentious divorce.
Maesaiah allegedly hired eight assassins to assassinate Lipolelo, but was not there at the time of the killing, according to police.
Thomas and Maesaiah Thabane, who married two months after the shooting, are also accused of the attempted murder of Thato Sibolla, who was with Lipolelo Thabane at the time of the shooting, as well as malicious damage to the victim’s car.
After pressure from his All Basotho Convention (ABC) party, opposition members, and South African mediators, Thomas Thabane resigned in May 2020.
The case will be heard on March 8-10, 2022.
