Battle lines drawn over PAC inquiry

The principal secretary for the Ministry of Health, ‘Maneo Moliehi Ntene, and several Queen MamohatoMemorial Hospital (QMMH) managers snubbed a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry yesterday despite warrants of compulsory attendance issued against them the previous day.

The PAC was forced to call off its ongoing inquiry into the operations and financial management of the QMMHafter the institution’s bosses, led by managing director, Dr’Makhoase Ranyali–Otubanjo, and deputy managing director, Thenjiwe Dlangaman dla, failed to turn up.

The National Assembly had on Tuesday this week directed the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) to locate and bring 2 QMMH officials and PS Ntene before the PAC at Parliament Building on December 11, 2025(yesterday).

The police were also directed to confine the said individuals only for such time as is reasonably necessary to secure their appearance before the committee.

The warrants, signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Advocate Fine Maema, ordered the officials to appear before the PAC to give evidence under oath/affirmation and/or produce documents specified in the summons.

“Failure to comply with this warrant or to obey lawful directions of Parliament many constitute an offence under Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act 1994 and may result in further legal action,” Adv Maema wrote.

A frustrated parliament chair of chairs, MokhothuMakhalanyane, told theReporter that he had learnt that QMMH MD Human Capital and Planning, ThenjiweDlangamandla had reportedly fled the country to avoid questioning.

Yesterday’s no-show comes a few days after QMMH management complained that PAC chairperson, ’Machabana Lemphane-Letsie, was unfit to lead the committee, further calling for her recusal.

The PAC then called Police Commissioner Advocate Borotho Matsoso to the National Assembly yesterday and begged him to effect the warrants of arrest.

This publication is reliably informed that police went out to fetch the officials from their offices in the afternoon but did not find them.

Commissioner Matsoso said in an interview last night that their hands were tied because the summoned officials had rushed to court to stop their arrest.

“Arresting these people is not a simple process; it’s a long one and we have to tread carefully since they have engaged their lawyers and approached the courts,” he noted.

Makhalanyane said they had on Wednesday PACreceived a letter from the QMMH officials’ lawyer calling on the committee to halt the inquiry.

“But we realised it was just a letter and that PAC proceedings can only be stopped by a court order, but there wasn’t such,” he indicated.

He added that when the committee was waiting for the hospital officials to be taken to the National Assembly by the police in according with the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act yesterday, they received a court application seeking to interdict the PAC proceedings.

“We consulted with the office of the Attorney General to see how to work on such a matter, and then adjourned.”

Makhalanyane further noted that PAC considers the hospital staff to have absconded from the hearing.

“They should have been present and released properly, but that was not the case,” he said, citing this was a normal and democratic legal process to follow when one feels their toes have been steppedon.

He vowed that the PAC was determined to proceed with the inquiry and would not back off.

“We need to follow these issues until the end because they involve Basotho’s taxes, which wesuspected have been mismanaged,” Makhalanyane said, recounting the committee’s investigations into alleged corruption and mismanagement at the Ministry of Public Works and the Lesotho Electricity Company.

PAC Member, Tŝeliso Moroke, yesterday expressed concern over recurring delays and the lack of accountability within the Ministry of Health, particularly regarding the absence of PS Ntene.

Moroke said the committee had changed its approach to ensure stronger accountability. 

He stated that at the beginning of the week’s session, each member took an oath individually, emphasizing that decisions taken by the committee were now directed at individuals, not institutions.

Moroke pointed out that the day’s session was meant to begin at 9:30 a.m., yet proceedings only started at 11:30 a.m., leaving the committee two hours behind schedule. He questioned what had changed that caused members to arrive late, highlighting the seriousness with which the committee intends to operate moving forward.

The committee was now on its third day without the appearance of the PS, who as the chief accounting officer of the Ministry of Health is responsible for answering for her ministry, he said, adding the PAC was currently in the process of locating the Ntene.

He further stated that although it is not standard procedure for the PAC or Parliament to require oaths, the committee had resorted to this measure due to ongoing non-compliance.

Moroke stressed that once an individual has taken an oath, they cannot rely on the PS, Managing Director, or supervisor to appear on their behalf when summoned. 

Failure to appear before the committee after taking an oath may result in the police being instructed to bring an individual in under a warrant, and if thatperson is “ducking and diving,” they may be placed under house arrest for ease of access.

He confirmed that the police are currently searching for the PS, who is believed to be avoiding them, causing significant delays in the PAC’s work. 

Moroke added that the committee had a structured plan, but Ntene’s absence continues to derail proceedings.