Lesotho PM appears in court on murder charges

Lesotho’s Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has appeared in court in the capital of Maseru to face accusations that he murdered his estranged wife in 2017.

The 80-year-old failed to attend court on Friday, which his son and spokesman said was due to his visiting South Africa to seek medical treatment. 

Mr Thabane is accused of murdering his wife Lipolelo Thabane after she was shot dead two days before his inauguration in 2017. 

His current wife, Maesaiah Thabane, is also accused of murdering her predecessor. 

The Prime Minister has not responded to the accusations but at the time of his inauguration called the killing “senseless”. 

There have been calls for Mr Thabane to resign as prime minister immediately but he said on Thursday that he would step down in July, citing old age as the reason for his retirement. 

Photo: AFP