Mohale FM The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) has launched a wide-ranging investigation into an alleged syndicate of soldiers accused of stealing firearms from the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) armoury and selling them to notorious famo gangs.
Sunday Express has learned that the probe has already led to the arrest of two serving soldiers, with police sources indicating that more arrests are imminent as investigators close in on what is believed to be a long-running and well-organised criminal network involving serving soldiers, retirees and former LDF members.
Sources further allege that the investigation has drawn in political figures, with one opposition party leader expected to report to Police headquarters in Maseru today to be questioned in connection with the alleged theft of state firearms.
As the investigation gathers momentum, it threatens to expose deep-seated weaknesses within the security sector and a dangerous pipeline through which weapons are allegedly being diverted from state armouries into the hands of violent criminal gangs.
According to investigators, soldiers would systematically steal damaged or decommissioned firearms from the LDF armoury, smuggling out individual components over time to avoid detection.
Meanwhile, two Lesotho Defence Force soldiers, believed to be the first batch from this syndicate being investigated, appeared before Maseru Magistrate Nkhethoa Molapo on Friday, charged with the aggravated theft of LDF firearms.
