Lesotho Police questions first lady about the murder of Prime Minister’s former wife

The Prime Minister’s former wife was murdered in 2017.

The 42-year-old first lady, Maesiah Thabane, subsequently went missing last month after the police summoned her as part of an investigation into the killing of Lipolelo Thabane.

Lesotho’s first lady came out of hiding on Tuesday (February 4, 2020) and turned herself in for questioning over the murder.

The Deputy Commissioner of the Criminal Investigation Division of the country’s Police Department, Paseka Mokete, said she will be in police custody for the next 48 hours, whiles the Director of Public Prosecutions takes a decision to press charges or not.

Maesiah Thabane, who married the prime minister about two months after the slaying, had been on the run after a warrant for her arrest was issued last month.

The killing, which happened two days before Thabane’s inauguration, was initially blamed on unidentified gunmen.

However, new evidence surfaced in early January implicating Thabane and Maesiah, his third wife.

A letter from Lesotho’s police chief which was made public alleged that communication records from the day of the crime picked up the prime minister’s mobile number.