Lesotho: Lesotho MP to Repay R6-Million in Tender Fraud Case

What the report says

Lesotho’s anti-corruption agency, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO), says opposition MP Jane Lekunya has agreed to repay M6 million that investigators say he gained from a wider agricultural tender fraud scheme. The case involves tenders for fertilisers, seeds and pesticides awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture, with officials alleged to have bypassed competitive bidding and inflated prices. The DCEO says the broader scam cost the government about M109 million.

According to the agency, Lekunya has also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in the case, which involves private companies and ministry officials linked to the disputed contracts. The DCEO says the matter centers on money flows tied to businessman Moeketsi Ntaote and several companies, including Glorified Group of Companies, Advanced Agricultural Products and Movement (Pty) Ltd. Investigators allege that funds moved through Lekunya, his wife Makhoase Lekunya, and his company Guardrisk Insurance Brokers.

The agency has already obtained freezing orders on multiple bank accounts and assets connected to the case. It says its decision to pursue asset recovery alongside criminal proceedings is meant to help recover public money faster, given how long criminal cases can take. The DCEO says its cases against other accused persons will continue in court.

As background, Lesotho subsidizes farm inputs heavily to support food production, which makes procurement in the agriculture sector especially sensitive to corruption risks. The allegations in this matter remain subject to court proceedings, and the public record described by GroundUp does not indicate a final criminal outcome for Lekunya at this stage.