. . . allegedly to protect corrupt high-ranking officials
. . . but govt dismisses allegations as “deliberate distortions”
Mohloai Mpesi
THE government’s decision to dissolve the Government Assets Recovery Task Team (GASRTT) has sparked outrage and suspicion, with insiders alleging it was a calculated move to shield powerful figures from exposure in corruption-linked scandals involving government property.
Formed in December 2022 under the Office of the Prime Minister, the 11-member task team became operational in March 2023.
It was mandated to reclaim all state assets — including land, buildings and vehicles — fraudulently acquired by individuals in some cases dating as far back as Lesotho’s independence in 1966.
Its work included identifying illegally occupied sites, verifying developed and vacant plots, and auditing residential government houses amid growing concern that the state inventory was in disarray.
The task team drew its personnel from several key offices, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the ministries of Finance and Development Planning, and Public Service, Labour and Employment, with additional support from the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS), and the National Security Service (NSS).
In a statement this week, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said the task team was being dissolved because it “lacked a legal foundation”.
“The Office of the Prime Minister informs the public that an interim committee formed to follow on government property including land, buildings, vehicles and every government property has been dissolved,” the statement read in part.
“The government advised itself to dissolve the committee after realising that it does not have a gazette. When all legal preparations are complete, the work will resume. The offices previously used by the task team will return to their respective ministries.”
However, sources within the disbanded task team say the “legal foundation” explanation is merely a smokescreen.
A cover-up for ministers
According to a source within the GASRTT, who spoke to the Lesotho Times on condition of anonymity, the move to dissolve GASRTT came after the team began probing senior members of the current government, including Prime Minister Sam Matekane himself and Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Nthomeng Majara, over the alleged unlawful occupation or acquisition of government assets.
The source told the Lesotho Times this week that the government’s claim that the unit was dissolved for “lacking legal foundation” was misleading.
“The team flagged the absence of a legal framework a month after it started operations,” the source said.
“So how does it make sense that three years later, the government suddenly realises it was formed unlawfully?”
The source suggested that the real motive was to stop the task team’s investigations from reaching too close to senior figures in Mr Matekane’s administration.
Cabinet resistance
The source further alleged they were investigating the site where Mr Matekane’s MGC Park is built, which allegedly belongs to the Lesotho Correctional Service.
“We were still awaiting information regarding that site, which we expected to receive at anytime from now and would form part of the report which we are working on, and due next week,” the source said.
The source also claimed Cabinet had resisted the task team’s efforts to evict a Nigerian national, Idris Faruk, from a government property.
Mr Faruk, who worked in the Ministry of Local Government’s Department of Land Survey and Physical Planning (LSPP) as a Land Surveyor since 1991 under a bilateral agreement between Lesotho and Nigeria, reportedly continued occupying a government house without paying rent.
“You will remember that a Nigerian man was evicted from a government building. Some ministers didn’t want him to leave, yet he wasn’t paying rent. He had helped in facilitating the theft of several government sites, which earned him protection from those same ministers.”
The source named Minister of Local Government, Lebona Lephema, and Minister of Public Service, Stephen Mputi, among those who allegedly defended Mr Faruk.
Mr Faruk was arrested on 25 September 2025 after his brief appearance before the Public Accounts Committee. He was expected to appear before the Maseru Magistrates Court on charges of staying in Lesotho without a residence permit and illegal occupation of government property. However, Mr Faruk has not been charged yet.
The missing beds scandal
According to the source, what finally triggered the dissolution was the team’s investigation into the alleged theft of government property — specifically beds — from the State House, some of which were reportedly taken by officials in the Deputy Prime Minister’s office.
“In the DPM’s office, some people stole the beds,” the source claimed.
“Beds from State House disappeared — one was taken to Ha-Tsolo, and another was taken by the DPM’s advisor.”
The source said the Procurement Officer responsible for the State House furniture confirmed that some of the beds, used by former Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro, were still new and due to be auctioned off.
“The officer said the DPM was told to choose what she needed, but she declined, saying she already had beds. The remaining beds were taken to the Government Complex, where her advisor and another woman named Mpho showed interest,” the source explained.
When the Procurement Officer refused to release the furniture without proper authority, the advisor allegedly persuaded an Assistant Procurement Officer to allow the removal of two beds — signing a waybill in the process.
“When questioned, the advisor claimed to know of only one bed meant for a staff member (DPM’s domestic helper), but records showed she signed for two. That’s when we realised there was an intention to steal,” the source said.
The team reportedly tried to meet with Ms Majara to clarify the matter, but she never responded.
“We resolved to open a case in court. But before we could, the DPM convinced her colleagues to dissolve the task team — because she was about to be exposed,” the source alleged.
Illegal land grants
The other source claimed that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Limpho Tau, occupied two government plots in Maputsoe, while the DPM herself was unlawfully allocated land at Katlehong, Maseru (Plot No. 12284-365).
According to the task team’s report as of September 2025, Ms Majara’s site, along with others belonging to former Finance Minister Dr Mamphono Khaketla, were issued through an outdated “direct grant” provision under the Land Act of 1979, which was repealed by the Land Act of 2010.
“These plots were allocated as direct grants under a repealed law. The wrong provision — meant for expropriation — was used to justify the grants,” the report stated.
The source reiterated that the allocations were illegal.
“The DPM was given that Katlehong site through a direct grant, which is no longer valid under the current law. That provision was repealed in 2010 but continues to be used unlawfully.”
Govt defence
The government’s spokesperson, Thabo Sekonyela, dismissed all the allegations as political fabrications meant to tarnish the government’s image.
“The task team had no legal instrument to perform its duties. Claims that it was disbanded to protect ministers are false. These are deliberate distortions.”
Mr Sekonyela also dismissed allegations that Ms Majara’s Katlehong plot was unlawfully acquired.
“The sites were legally allocated by then-Minister of Local Government, Pontšo Sekatle. All due processes were followed.”
On the issue of the alleged stolen beds, Mr Sekonyela explained that Ms Majara merely requested one bed for her domestic worker.
“Assuming the story is even true, the DPM didn’t take any beds for herself. While furniture was being moved to storage, she asked that one bed be left for her helper, who had nowhere to sleep. It was going to be auctioned anyway, so the request was granted.”
He stressed that only one bed — with a headboard and sideboard — was released and properly recorded.
“There is a registry of all government property. Everything else being said is false,” he said.
