The entire nation is still reeling with shock after reports that a whole police armoury was broken into and guns stolen from the Mafeteng police station.
There is no way civilians would break into such a facility that is supposed to be highly secured. It is an inside job. A job planned and executed by dirty cops. Yes. Call them rogue cops, rotten potatoes, or anything. Our police force is awash with this calibre of cops. They take bribes. They have been accused, rightly or wrongly of loaning their guns to bandits and of setting free dangerous prisoners, who were captured with great effort and at great risk to their fellow officers.
They have even been accused of perpetrating criminal pursuits themselves, and it is only just that, when caught, they should be dealt with in more punitive ways than those meted out to civilians, because they are supposed to be guardians of the laws of the land and protectors of the society, so their felonious actions are tantamount to crimes against the State, and therefore treasonous.
They disgrace their uniforms, and the organisation to which they belong. They bring disrepute to the entire force with their criminal actions and should be dealt with condignly by their own counterparts in the service, as in a case where one policeman nabbed three bribe-takers.
Mini-bus conductors and 4+1 taxi drivers know all the traffic policemen who take bribes, and their stories of persecution by those delegated to protect travellers from lawless road-users who commit traffic violations that endanger lives are many.
The rogues have to be weeded out by loyal and honest members of the force themselves in sting operations, bearing in mind that the disgrace is not merely to the renegades, but that it filters down to every officer; even those proven to be heroes, who have given service to their country beyond the call of duty.
Unless and until a serious attempt is made to eliminate the rogues from the force the image of every police rank will carry the mark of Cain, both the guilty and the innocent.
