The estranged wife of incoming Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas
Thabane has been shot dead two days before his inauguration.
Lipolelo Thabane, 58, was travelling home with a friend when
both women were shot by an unknown assailant, the police said. The police said
the motive was unknown and an investigation was continuing, BBC reported.
The couple had been living separately since 2012 and filed
for divorce which hasn’t been granted yet. According to BBC southern Africa
correspondent Karen Allen, neighbours claim there had been an incident earlier
in the week when a group of unidentified men were spotted hammering on the
First Lady’s door.
She won a high court battle against her husband to secure
the privileges of a First Lady, instead of Mr Thabane’s youngest wife,
Liabiloe, the AFP news agency reported. Mr Thabane is now living with a third wife.
Samonyane Ntsekele, the secretary general of Mr Thabane’s
All Basotho Convention party, told AFP that the prime minister was devastated
by the shooting. “Everyone is traumatised by these developments,” he said.
The election took place earlier this month and was the third
election in three years. There is a bitter power-struggle in the country
and Mr Thabane still has enemies in the military, our correspondent adds. His
inauguration is still expected to take place on Friday.
The Sun
