Lesotho police minister probed for flouting lockdown rules

Lesotho police minister probed for flouting lockdown rules

Lesotho's minister of police and public safety is under investigation after a video of him buying alcohol and flouting lockdown regulations went viral, a police source said.

Lesotho map
Photo: Britannica

The sale and purchase of alcohol is prohibited in Lesotho which is observing a nationwide 24-day lockdown starting from March 29.


But CCTV footage from outside a liquor warehouse showed police minister, Lehlohonolo Moramotse, collecting boxes of alcohol and loading them into a car.


"Police are investigating this matter," said a senior police source.


"Investigations are at a very advanced stage." 


However, police spokesman Mpiti Mopeli said he was not aware of any investigations.


Although Lesotho remains the only southern African nation not to have recorded a coronavirus case, authorities announced the lockdown due to fears that COVID-19 could be imported from South Africa which completely surrounds the kingdom.


South Africa has recorded 1,934 coronavirus cases. 


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