Maseru, Jan. 13 — Knives are out for the new Director General of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO), Brigadier Mantso Sello.
Pressure from the Law Society of Lesotho mounted after the appointment of Sello and pushed him to resign from the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) as the arrangement was for him to be seconded to the DCEO.
Expressing its concerns, Law Society says, “Following Molelle’s resignation, the government immediately seconded Adv. Mantso Sello, a legal officer within the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), to the position of Director-General of the DCEO. This appointment raised significant legal concerns, particularly regarding the secondment of an army officer to head an institution that must function independently of the executive and security forces.”
It further shows that during a follow-up meeting on February 11, the society was informed that Sello would resign from the LDF, addressing the primary concern regarding the independence of the DCEO, adding that it will continue monitoring the situation to ensure that any appointment to such a critical office complies with legal requirements and safeguards the integrity of the institution.
