‘Mantšali Phakoana
Lerotholi Polytechnic students who fled the country into South Africa last week after allegedly vandalising a major supermarket in Maseru during a protest over their allowances will have to face the full wrath of the law, police have said.
The 24 students were denied long time asylum on Tuesday this week and remain holed up in the neighbouring country, claiming they fear torture by police if they return home.
Thirty-eight other students returned last Friday after police authorities assured them that they would not be subjected to any form of torture.
A total of 62 students from the college, also known as Fokothi, were arrested by the South African Defence Force (SADF) on Thursday last week after illegally crossing into that country. They were later handed over to the SA immigration department.
Lesotho Mounted Police Services (LMPS) deputy spokesperson, sub-inspector ‘Mareabetsoe Mofoka this week told theReporter that the 62 students had fled the country after the police moved in to prevent their planned illegal protest.
Sub-inspector Mofoka said the police had been informed that the students were planning to picket after the Court of Appeal upheld a High Court ruling ordering that they sit for final exams commencing on August 7 this month.
She noted that police descended on the campus when they received information that the students were planning to set on fire a room where the questions papers were kept to stop the exams from taking place.
The students then went on to U-Save Supermarket near the Pitso Ground Police station where they allegedly broke the entrance.
Sub-inspector Mofoka rubbished allegations that some students were tortured by police upon their return from South Africa and forced to admit to vandalising the supermarket.
“The interrogation is still ongoing and it will not stop until the culprits are caught,” she told theReporter in an interview yesterday.
Even those that are still out of the country would also be interrogated for the malicious damage.
“Where a crime is committed, legal action should be taken,” Sub-inspector Mofoka said.
Foreign affairs and international relations minister Lejone Mpotjoane this week told the media that the students’ self-imposed exile would not be for long as the SA immigration department had declared that their conditions do not qualify them for asylum.
Mpotjoane said despite repeated attempts by his ministry to bring the remaining students back home, they had tabled several conditions before they can do so.
“Those students said they would only return if the government made a written commitment that they would not be arrested and tortured upon arrival and that all the charges they are facing are dropped,” he noted.
They had also demanded that police officers deployed at the institution during the examinations period be withdrawn and that no actions would be taken against them.
“They further demanded they be paid their July stipends even though that month was not part of their academic contract with the NMDS (National Manpower Development Secretariat),” Mpotjoane said, adding the students further wanted the government to organise e Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) boot camp counselling for them.
However, Mpotjoane said they could not reach an agreement since the government insists that the students should face legal action.
“Agreeing to their terms would have meant that we are saying even those who vandalised U-save will be left unpunished by the law,” he pointed out.
Mpotjoane further indicated that the government fully abides by international standards and respects human rights and justice. It is also against any form of police brutality against suspects.
He cautioned that the government would not tolerate any illegal protests since there are legal procedures to followed to embark on legal protests.
Mpotjoane also said the government was troubled by allegations that some politicians were pushing their political agenda by advising the students to continue with their action with the aim of tarnishing the state’s image.
“Therefore, I plead with those students to return back.”
He reiterated Sub-inspector Mofoka’s stance that those who vandalised U-save would not be left unpunished by law.
Lerotholi Polytechnic Students Representative Council (SRC) president, Paseka Rateronko this week said they sympathise with the students for missing their examinations.
The exams commenced on August 7 and will end on August 18, under police supervision.
He said some of the students were summoned for one-on-one interrogation sessions with the police where they were alleged tortured.
Rateronko said the students’ troubles started on July 18 after they had learned that they would not receive allowances from the NMDS for that month since their academic year had come to an end in June but extended to July.
However, he said since their matter was still pending before the Court of Appeal, they pleaded with the government to finance them for the examinations period. They were awaiting a response, he added.
“We pleaded with the ministry of finance to at least finance us as we write exams because some of us cannot even afford food, rent and transport during this tough time of exams,” he indicated.
Fokothi authorities could not be reached for comment yesterday to verify the students’ claims that it had extended the school calendar by a month.
One of the students who fled the country said upon their arrival in SA, they were given an ultimatum to continue with their efforts to get asylum or return home.
He said they were surprised that government officials had not come to address their concerns but to ask them to return.
“We believe those who decided to return home either developed cold feet or were threatened.
“We ran for our lives. We’re here for our own safety because we believe the police are violating our rights,” the student added.
