DCEO Pushes for Dedicated Corruption Court to Speed Up Cases

The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) says it is pushing for the establishment of a court dedicated exclusively to corruption cases in order to speed up proceedings. Currently, corruption cases are delayed because they are handled alongside all other types of legal matters.

Speaking to Mohale FM on Thursday, Ms. Matlhokomelo Senoko from the DCEO Public Relations Office said that although many corruption cases are being processed, they take time, which often creates the impression that nothing is being done.

Ms. Senoko added that corruption contributes significantly to unemployment in Lesotho. She explained that last year the country ranked 99th among the most corruption-affected nations, an indication that corruption is deeply entrenched. She appealed to community leaders and public servants to refrain from corrupt practices and urged those who continue to engage in corruption to stop.

The DCEO further revealed that this year alone, more than M33 million has been recovered from corruption-related cases. Additionally, 187 fraudulent cases involving chiefs who claimed benefits on behalf of deceased old-age pension recipients were uncovered.