Mohale FM THE Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) is once again under scrutiny for all the wrong reasons, following allegations that its officers smuggled cell phones to inmates at the Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) in exchange for money.
The Lesotho Times has learned that the matter came to light after inmates reportedly used illicit phones to contact high-profile figures, including senior police officers and the Ombudsman’s Office, inviting them to visit the prison over “important” information.
In response, a multi-agency investigation team—dubbed Operation Fiela and comprising police, army, the National Security Service (NSS), and LCS officers—was tasked to determine how the prohibited devices found their way into inmates’ hands. The probe has so far led to the suspension of two LCS officers, identified as Khutlang Telite and one Nkhabu, who are accused of smuggling phones into prison cells in exchange for money.
According to a source close to the investigation, national security agencies have since intensified their probe. The source further revealed that the officers allegedly used diaries to conceal the devices.
LCS spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent (Ass Supt) Pheko Ntobane, confirmed the suspensions, saying investigations had linked the two officers to the confiscated phones.
