MASERU – A potential immigration scandal is brewing after information received by Lesotho Tribunesuggested that individuals linked to a cabinet minister’s family may have been involved in an incident in which foreign nationals allegedly entered Lesotho without proper travel documentation.
According to information reaching this publication, the incident is said to have occurred on the evening of 11 October 2025 at the Maseru Bridge Border Post, where a luxury vehicle bearing South African registration plates reportedly entered the country through a VIP access lane rather than the standard immigration channel.
The alleged entry route has raised serious questions because the VIP lane is not ordinarily used for routine entry into the country and is typically restricted.
Sources familiar with the matter claim the vehicle carried several occupants believed to be South African nationals, and that some of the individuals may not have been in possession of passports or other travel documents at the time of entry.
Under Lesotho’s immigration procedures, all travellers entering the country are required to present valid travel documentation and undergo inspection by immigration officials.
However, the information received by Lesotho Tribune suggests that when immigration officials attempted to conduct the necessary checks, pressure may have been applied to allow the vehicle to pass through without completing the normal immigration process.
The vehicle involved in the alleged incident is said to have been associated with individuals connected to businessman Kenny Lephema, the son of cabinet minister Lebona Lephema.
Lesotho Tribune has contacted Mr Lephema for comment regarding the allegations. He is yet to respond to a series of questions.
Police Role Raises Further Questions
The incident has also raised concerns about the possible involvement of members of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS).
Sources claim that while immigration officials were attempting to enforce the required procedures, a police officer allegedly intervened and insisted that the vehicle be allowed to proceed.
If confirmed, such intervention could amount to interference with immigration enforcement at a national border point, an issue that governance experts say could undermine the integrity of border control systems.
The LMPS has been asked whether any officer stationed at the Maseru Bridge border post that evening intervened in immigration procedures.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Thabo Mohai said the Lesotho Mounted Police Service is not aware of any officer instructing immigration officials to allow individuals into the country without proper procedures.
Mohai said the information currently available to the police suggests that the incident may have involved a request to bypass a long queue at the border.
“What we know is that there was an incident where the queue was long and someone contacted the police requesting to be allowed to pass because of the queue,” Mohai said.
He stressed that the role of the police at border posts is primarily related to security and crime prevention, and officers are not authorised to interfere with immigration duties.
“Under no circumstances should police interfere with immigration procedures. Our role is security and crime prevention, although we work together with other agencies,” he said.
Mohai added that management reprimanded the officer involved the following day after the incident came to the attention of police leadership.
“The officer was reprimanded by management the following day. Police officers are not supposed to intervene in duties that fall outside police responsibilities,” Mohai said.
Immigration Procedures Under Scrutiny
The alleged incident has placed a spotlight on how immigration procedures are enforced at Lesotho’s busiest border crossing.
Border posts serve as the primary mechanism for ensuring that travellers entering the country comply with immigration laws and that proper records are maintained of cross-border movement.
Allowing individuals to enter without documentation, if proven, would represent a serious breach of border control regulations.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, which oversees immigration services, has been asked whether it is aware of the alleged incident and whether an internal investigation has been initiated. No response was provided.
Questions of Equality Before the Law
The allegations have also sparked broader questions about whether politically connected individuals may receive preferential treatment at border posts.
Ordinary travellers entering Lesotho are routinely required to present passports, undergo inspection, and have their movements formally recorded.
If it is confirmed that individuals were allowed to bypass those procedures due to personal connections or influence, the incident could raise serious concerns about unequal enforcement of immigration laws.
Investigation Continues
Lesotho Tribune will continue to monitor developments in the matter and publish additional information once responses are received from the parties involved.
