Lesotho Electricity Company Suspends Senior Managers Over Alleged Procurement and Sales Misconduct

The Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) has suspended two senior managers in the wake of serious allegations of procurement irregularities and the unauthorised loading of electricity units—incidents that have raised red flags about internal controls and governance within the state-owned utility.

The suspensions of Finance Manager Sello Mothae and Procurement Manager Peo Mputsoe were revealed during a tense session of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) this week, where LEC was summoned to address findings from the Auditor-General’s report.

At the centre of the scandal is Finance Manager Sello Mothae, who stands accused of illegally loading M300,000 worth of electricity units to Bafokeng Filling Station on 14 July 2025—without payment. This transaction reportedly took place despite prior restrictions placed on Mr Mothae, barring him from accessing the electricity sales system. The internal audit report for 2023 had already flagged similar discrepancies, revealing that M1.8 million worth of units had been duplicated and loaded without corresponding payments.

PAC Chairperson ‘Machabana Lemphane-Letsie grilled LEC leadership over the incident, pressing for accountability. She questioned why Mothae, previously barred from sales access, was seemingly able to carry out the transaction again. LEC’s Managing Director, Nathaniel Maphathe, insisted Mothae’s access was revoked and reversals had been made. However, PAC remained unconvinced, citing ongoing discrepancies and a lack of system integrity.

Lintle Thamae, LEC’s Head of Finance and Mothae’s supervisor, confirmed a disciplinary process was underway. While she acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations, she maintained that Mothae had since been confined strictly to accounting functions. Yet, Ms Lemphane-Letsie cast doubt on these assurances, suggesting the issue was not isolated. She instructed acting Head of Customer Experience, Tšepo Mololo, to verify and report back with the name of the individual who processed the unauthorised transaction on 14 July.

“Electricity is being loaded for people who are not paying,” Lemphane-Letsie said. “This continues to happen, and we demand to know who is responsible.”

Procurement Manager Peo Mputsoe is also facing disciplinary action for allegedly violating Lesotho’s Procurement Act. According to PAC, Mputsoe was caught opening bid submissions in the absence of bidders, an act that violates transparency rules and creates opportunities for bid manipulation.

Matala legislator Dr Tšeliso Moroke questioned Mputsoe’s actions, expressing frustration that the procurement head had continued the practice despite prior warnings from Parliament. Mputsoe defended himself by claiming he was operating within his authority for tenders valued below M15,000 and that his superiors were informed. He also cited procurement regulations permitting limited competitive tendering under certain conditions.

But PAC was not persuaded. Chairperson Lemphane-Letsie demanded a direct citation from the law and warned Mputsoe that bidders might take legal action, especially if evidence shows names of non-applicants appearing in opened bids. The Committee also criticised LEC for using “emergency procurement” procedures to acquire materials from non-specialist suppliers, including a catering company—an example they said illustrated a broader pattern of mismanagement.

PAC members directed pointed criticism at LEC’s executive team, accusing Managing Director Maphathe and Head of Finance Thamae of failing to enforce proper oversight. “Every move at LEC ends up in Parliament,” Lemphane-Letsie said. “You were warned before, yet the same breaches continue. When are you going to take action that matches the severity of these offences?”

In response, Maphathe confirmed that disciplinary processes were moving forward. He said a show cause letter had been issued to Mr Mputsoe, and that a suspension letter had been prepared and would be finalised shortly. Still, PAC expressed frustration at the delays, questioning why suspension letters had not been executed sooner given the gravity of the misconduct.

The unfolding saga at LEC underscores ongoing concerns about corporate governance and accountability in Lesotho’s public institutions. The PAC is expected to continue its inquiry until those responsible are held fully accountable. For many observers, the incident is a stark reminder of the urgent need to modernise internal controls, strengthen oversight, and ensure transparent procurement and billing systems within state-owned enterprises. As disciplinary proceedings advance, the public—and Parliament—will be watching closely to ensure that consequences follow and that the systems enabling such misconduct are thoroughly overhauled.