Qacha’s Nek, May.27 — Decentralised Legal Aid Offices in Qacha’s Nek were officially launched on Wednesday at Melele Ground in a move aimed at improving access to justice for vulnerable and remote communities.
The launch was led by the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ms. Relebohile Lebeta, alongside the Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Lesotho, Ambassador Mette Sunnergren.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Law and Justice, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ms. Relebohile Lebeta, said she was delighted to join the people of Melele during the official launch of the decentralised legal aid offices.
She said Lesotho’s Constitution contains a Bill of Rights aimed at promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, including access to justice, fair hearing and legal representation.
According to Ms. Lebeta, the government has an obligation to ensure legal aid services are accessible nationwide, particularly for poor and vulnerable groups.
“To increase and ensure access to justice, Lesotho has a responsibility to provide legal aid services nationally so that vulnerable citizens can receive assistance,” she said.
She described the launch of the office as a source of pride and joy for the ministry, saying the facility would benefit residents of Melele and surrounding communities who previously struggled to access legal services.
Ms. Lebeta noted that the need for decentralised legal aid services in districts such as Qacha’s Nek has long been overdue, especially for vulnerable groups, including the elderly, children, people living with disabilities and unemployed people living in remote areas.
“Several people face various legal problems whose solutions are often delayed because of the absence of systems that assist with the provision of legal aid,” she said.
She added that the decentralisation of legal aid services demonstrates Lesotho’s commitment to improving access to justice across the country.
“This has been a long-awaited dream and we now have such offices in Leribe, Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Qacha’s Nek,” she said.
Ms. Lebeta said the ministry remains committed to ensuring that all decentralised offices become fully operational in order to improve citizens’ livelihoods through better access to justice.
“As we launch this office, we implore all stakeholders and members of the public to support this important initiative,” she said.
She also expressed gratitude to the European Union for its support in providing office space, furniture and equipment for the legal aid offices in Qacha’s Nek, Mokhotlong and Thaba-Tseka.
“Your funding has been instrumental in enabling us to fully execute our mandate of providing access to justice to Basotho,” she said.
Ms. Lebeta added that the partnership between the government and the EU reflects a shared vision of ensuring justice services are accessible to all citizens.
Ambassador Sunnergren said the inauguration of the offices marked a significant milestone in promoting justice and good governance in Lesotho. “We are gathered here to celebrate a significant step forward in bringing justice closer to the people and ensuring communities have access to the support and services they deserve,” she said.
She explained that the establishment of the decentralised legal aid offices forms part of a broader programme aimed at supporting the reform and strengthening of governance in Lesotho.
According to Ambassador Sunnergren, the programme, implemented in collaboration with partners, has taken decisive steps to revive and strengthen justice measures across the country by reinforcing infrastructure and institutional capacity necessary for effective governance.
She said the initiative follows a holistic approach to expanding access to justice by integrating strategic capacity building, stakeholder engagement and institutional strengthening to ensure systems are efficient, sustainable and inclusive.
“For legal aid specifically, the programme supported the refurbishment and equipping of legal aid offices, the development of user-friendly guidelines and the training of officers and paralegals who now provide free legal advice, assistance with court documents and awareness sessions tailored to women, youth and other vulnerable groups,” she said.
Ambassador Sunnergren added that decentralisation is central to the mission of bringing justice closer to communities, especially marginalised populations who often struggle to access services due to poverty, distance and limited resources.
Chief Legal Aid Counsel, Advocate Mary ’Nyane, said stakeholders had for years complained about the inaccessibility of legal aid services because the department operated only from Maseru.
She explained that many accused persons sometimes pleaded guilty despite being innocent because they lacked legal representation, while courts also experienced case backlogs due to people waiting for legal aid assistance.
Advocate ’Nyane said distance, shortage of staff and lack of resources made it difficult for vulnerable people in remote districts to access justice. “We had very few staff, yet the expectation was for us to assist vulnerable people with cases countrywide,” she said.
She explained that whenever legal aid lawyers visited Qacha’sNek, they would often find long lists of clients referred by the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS), courts and community members hoping to receive assistance.
According to Advocate ’Nyane, lawyers struggled to adequately assist clients because of limited transport, shortage of fuel, lack of accommodation funds and insufficient staffing. “People often complained about poor services, yet sometimes there was no vehicle available, no petrol and no money for overnight stays and food,” she said.
She added that the department operated with fewer than 20 staff members, including lawyers, making it nearly impossible to meet national demand. However, she said the establishment of decentralised offices would help address these longstanding challenges. “This will now be a thing of the past with offices established in districts,” she said.
Advocate ’Nyane revealed that although the Qacha’s Nek office only began operations in August 2025, it has already advised 34 accused persons, registered 63 new cases, completed 11 cases and still has 44 ongoing matters.
She also noted that legal aid offices provide counselling services in addition to legal assistance. Addressing legal aid officers, she urged them to serve the public with love, humility, respect and professionalism. “Good approach is healing and satisfying,” she said.
She further encouraged Melele and surrounding areas to make use of the office and thanked the judiciary for providing space for the facility.
Registrar of the High Court, Mrs. ’Mathato Sekoai, said the opening of the office strengthens the justice system in the district, where other justice institutions such as prosecution, probation and the Master of the High Court are already located.
She urged justice sector employees to work together professionally while respecting their individual mandates.
Acting Commissioner of the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS), Matingoe Phamotse, said good behaviour and peace-building should begin at home, in schools and within communities.
Referring to the teachings and values of King Moshoeshoe I, he encouraged Basotho to return to the principles of SeMoshoeshoe; unity, peace and mutual respect that once defined the nation.
Quoting some of Moshoeshoe’s teachings, Phamotse said true justice is rooted in peace-building and social harmony, adding that many justice institutions would not be overwhelmed if communities upheld the values taught by Moshoeshoe I. “We would not have so many cases requiring police, correctional services and courts if we fully lived according to the values of our forefathers,” he said.
He noted that government resources spent on crime and justice processes could instead be directed towards development projects such as roads, schools and hospitals if communities embraced peaceful coexistence. “Let us go back to our roots and live in peace, the peace we were taught by Moshoeshoe,” he said.
Representative of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Mr. Nkhethoa Mats’eleli from WILSA, described access to justice as a fundamental human right for every citizen. “This office will restore hope and trust to people who felt forgotten for a long time,” he said.
On behalf of the town chief, Chief Thabo Mongali welcomed the initiative, saying the offices would greatly benefit the community.
Established in 1978, the Legal Aid Department has traditionally operated from Maseru, making it difficult for people in remote districts to access services.
The official launch of the Qacha’s Nek Legal Aid Offices marks a major step toward ensuring equal access to justice for all, especially vulnerable people living in remote communities. With legal services now closer to the people, the initiative is expected to improve protection of human rights, strengthen public trust in the justice system and promote a more inclusive and fair society.
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