The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition has been thrust into the national spotlight following explosive revelations of “systemic corruption and procurement irregularities.”
Three senior officials, Victoria Likiki, Procurement Manager, Lebakeng, Director of Legal Affairs and Rorisang Mantutle, Director of Crops, have been suspended with immediate effect as investigations by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) uncover what appears to be a deeply entrenched criminal network operating within the Ministry.
According to a confidential letter dated December 4, 2024, obtained by Newsday, the DCEO presented the Ministry’s Principal Secretary (PS), Thabo Moleko, with damning preliminary findings.
The letter outlines a sophisticated scheme involving Ministry officials, service providers, and private individuals colluding to defraud the state through the manipulation of procurement processes.
The investigation alleges that tenders for large-scale procurement of agricultural inputs were awarded fraudulently, deliberately bypassing proper supply chain protocols.
Payments were reportedly made for goods that were never delivered, delivered in substandard quality, or for services never rendered at all.
The financial toll on the Ministry is believed to be substantial.
The DCEO has already laid charges against several implicated individuals and entities, and prosecutions are expected to follow, however, the letter indicated that the scope of corruption continues to widen, with investigators reportedly uncovering further instances of irregularities and fraudulent contracts.
The DCEO has raised serious concerns about the continued presence of these officials in their posts, warning PS Moleko that it could compromise the integrity of ongoing investigations and expose the Ministry to additional legal and financial risks.
Acting on the DCEO’s strong recommendation, the Ministry through the office of the PS has suspended the three officials with pay, effective December 6, 2024.
Official letters of suspension reference violations of the Codes of Good Practice (2005), particularly Part I, Code of Good Conduct, Section 3(2)(n), which prohibits public officers from accepting unauthorised remuneration and engaging in any criminal acts involving dishonesty or misappropriation of public funds.
The PS’s letters have instructed the suspended officials to remain available to assist investigators as needed.
This latest scandal comes in the wake of a string of similar corruption allegations within the Ministry.
In June 2022, the Lesotho Times reported that the DCEO had launched a probe into a fertiliser tender for the 2022 summer cropping season, following a whistleblower’s complaint. The anonymous bidder raised concerns after officials failed to explain why his bid, despite meeting all minimum requirements, was rejected.
More recently, on September 21, 2024, the Lesotho Times again exposed what it described as a “web of corruption” involving fraudulent tenders worth M109 million. The report implicated senior ministry officials and prominent political figures, including Democratic Congress (DC) MP for Mechachane constituency, Jane Lekunya, and his wife, ’Makhoase Lekunya.
The couple is accused of laundering bribe money on behalf of ministry officials in exchange for the illegal awarding of contracts for fertilisers, seeds, and pesticides. Companies linked to Moeketsi “Tsunami” Ntaote, an associate of Mr. Lekunya, allegedly received inflated payments from the government, secured through manipulated procurement processes.
The DCEO’s investigations paint a troubling picture of institutional rot and collusion at the highest levels raising urgent questions about governance, oversight, and accountability within the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ntsoaki Motaung is an award-winning health journalist from Lesotho, specializing in community health stories with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as HIV. She has contributed to platforms like “Be in the KNOW,” highlighting issues such as the exclusion of people with disabilities from HIV prevention efforts in Lesotho.
In addition to her journalism, Ntsoaki serves as the Country Coordinator for the Regional Media Action Plan Support Network (REMAPSEN). She is also a 2023 CPHIA Journalism Fellow.
