Thabane at a Catholic ceremony in Setsoto Stadium in Maseru. In the first week of January 2020, the ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) party asked him to resign over his suspension of the police commissioner Holomo Molibeli, who had linked him to Lipolelo's murder. Murder allegations On 10 January 2020, an arrest warrant was issued for Maesiah Thabane, who is wanted in connection with the 2017 murder of Lipolelo Thabane. Maesiah Thabane went into hiding and Prime Minister Thabane announced his intent to resign from office shortly after her arrest warrant was issued. On 20 February 2020, police announced that Thabane would also be charged with murder in the case. On 21 February 2020, Thabane failed to appear in court for the case, with his son saying he had traveled to South Africa to see a doctor. Police warned that if he does not return to the country, an arrest warrant will be issued. Both his son and press secretary said that he had "not fled the country" and that he would return to the country as soon as his doctor in Johannesburg releases him. They also said that "he is willing to appear before the court of a law and hear the charges against him." The murder charges levied against him made him to be the first prime minister of Lesotho to announce his resignation. On 22 February 2020, Thabane was granted a sick leave until 27 February when he is due to appear in court to hear the charges, the country's deputy police commissioner said. Members of his party, also, have urged him to step down sooner than the end of July as he has planned. On 24 February 2020, while on sick leave, Thabane appeared in a Maseru court for a pre-trial hearing. The charges against him were not read as his lawyers requested the case be referred to the high court to answer for a possible immunity. On 30 November 2021, he was charged with the murder of his wife. Honours Foreign honours Two Sicilian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I References External links Profile at ABC website |- |- |- 1939 births All Basotho Convention politicians Communication ministers of Lesotho Foreign Ministers of Lesotho Defense ministers of Lesotho Science ministers of Lesotho Living people Members of the National Assembly (Lesotho) People from Maseru Prime Ministers of Lesotho University of