Lesotho DCEO: MP Jane Lekunya R6-Million Repayment Settled

• Lesotho MP Jane Lekunya has agreed to repay M6 million in connection with a M109 million tender fraud scheme.
• The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) alleges the scheme involved inflated prices for agricultural supplies and bypassed competitive bidding.
• Lekunya's company, Guardrisk Insurance Brokers, was reportedly used to move and conceal funds linked to the fraudulent tenders.
• The DCEO froze 22 bank accounts and assets in March 2025 as part of its investigation into Lekunya and other involved parties.
• Former principal secretary Nchakha Makara, also implicated, pleaded guilty and was fined M500,000 in June 2025.

The agreement by Lesotho MP Jane Lekunya to repay M6 million marks a significant development in the country's fight against corruption, particularly within high-profile public procurement cases.

A prominent member of Lesotho's Parliament, Jane Lekunya of the opposition Democratic Congress, has reached an agreement to repay M6 million (equivalent to R6 million) in connection with an alleged corrupt scheme. This development stems from a larger M109 million case involving the fraudulent procurement of agricultural supplies, including fertilisers, seeds, and pesticides, for the Ministry of Agriculture. Lekunya's decision to cooperate with prosecutors follows his earlier challenge in March 2025 against the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO)'s attempts to prosecute him for fraud, corruption, and money laundering.

The DCEO's investigation revealed that the corrupt activities, which cost the government M109 million, occurred between 2021 and 2022, with suspicious financial transfers continuing into 2023 even after companies had received full payment. Court documents filed by the DCEO in September 2024 detailed how senior officials within the Ministry of Agriculture bypassed standard competitive bidding procedures to award tenders to companies linked to local businessman Moeketsi Ntaote. These tender prices were reportedly inflated to facilitate illicit payments, exploiting government subsidies of 80% for fertilisers and 70% for seeds, pesticides, and herbicides, intended to boost food production.

Ntaote's companies, including Glorified Group of Companies, Advanced Agricultural Products, and Movement (Pty) Ltd, secured numerous tenders through limited or selective bidding processes. The DCEO identified procurement manager Mapaseka Nkone and former principal secretary Nchakha Makara as instrumental in Ntaote obtaining these contracts. Following the tender awards, Ntaote allegedly transferred funds to Lekunya, who then passed money to Nkone and other purported accomplices. Financial records cited by the DCEO show significant transactions, including M5.5 million transferred from Ntaote's FNB account to Lekunya's account on December 23, 2021, followed by M3.5 million on March 18, 2022, and M123,000 on April 12, 2022. Lekunya also reportedly received over M1.6 million from Ntaote and his companies in March and May 2021. Furthermore, Lekunya's wife, Makhoase Lekunya, received M22.6 million into her investment account from Ntaote's companies, with some of these funds reportedly used to purchase agricultural products; the DCEO is pursuing a separate case against her.

The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) has been actively pursuing accountability in this extensive public procurement fraud. Their court filings from September 2024 laid bare the intricate web of transactions and individuals involved. A key aspect of the DCEO's enforcement strategy was the securing of an order in March 2025 to freeze 22 bank accounts and various assets belonging to Lekunya, his businesses, and other entities and individuals allegedly connected to the scheme. These frozen assets included five bank accounts associated with Ntaote's companies, three belonging to Guardrisk Insurance Brokers, and three under Lekunya's name.

Lekunya's company, Guardrisk Insurance Brokers (distinct from South Africa's Guardrisk Group), was identified by the DCEO as a conduit for moving and concealing funds linked to the tender fraud. For instance, in October 2021, M2.1 million was transferred from Guardrisk to Advanced Agricultural's PostBank account as a loan to Ntaote, which was later repaid with an additional M100,000 by Movement, one of Ntaote's companies, in January 2022. Another transaction involved M5.6 million transferred through Guardrisk to finance the acquisition of a property in Somerset West, South Africa, under Pavilion Properties, which the DCEO alleges was bought on Ntaote's behalf using proceeds from the fraudulent tender payments. The DCEO has accused the Lekunyas of facilitating money laundering to ministry officials who corruptly awarded the tenders through Guardrisk Insurance Brokers.

This case also saw a separate resolution for former principal secretary Nchakha Makara, who had assisted Ntaote in obtaining tenders through Nkone. Makara pleaded guilty and was subsequently fined M500,000 by the Maseru Magistrates' Court in June 2025, demonstrating the DCEO's capacity to secure convictions and penalties for those involved in public procurement fraud.

The agreement by Lesotho MP Jane Lekunya to repay M6 million marks a significant development in the country's fight against corruption, particularly within high-profile public procurement cases. This outcome underscores the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO)'s active and successful enforcement of anti-corruption laws, signaling a robust approach to holding political figures accountable for financial misconduct. The DCEO's ability to pursue asset freezing and secure repayment orders highlights its growing capacity to tackle complex financial crimes and recover illicitly gained funds.

This case, involving a substantial M109 million cost to the government through inflated agricultural tender prices, demonstrates the severe financial impact of public procurement fraud on national resources and essential subsidy programs. The DCEO's meticulous investigation, detailed in court documents, reveals the sophisticated methods used to bypass competitive bidding and launder money, including the use of companies like Guardrisk Insurance Brokers Lesotho for illicit financial transfers. The successful pursuit of this case, culminating in a settlement with a sitting Member of Parliament, sends a clear message about the consequences of engaging in corrupt practices related to government tenders.

The resolution of this matter, alongside the separate conviction of former principal secretary Nchakha Makara, reinforces the DCEO's commitment to rooting out corruption at various levels of government and among private sector collaborators. It serves as a critical precedent for future anti-corruption efforts in Lesotho, emphasizing that individuals involved in schemes like the Moeketsi Ntaote Lesotho tenders will face rigorous investigation and legal action, ultimately contributing to greater transparency and integrity in public administration.

This development signals the Lesotho DCEO's active and successful enforcement of anti-corruption laws, particularly in high-profile public procurement cases involving political figures. Lawyers advising clients on government tenders, financial transactions, or anti-money laundering compliance in Lesotho should note the DCEO's capacity to pursue asset freezing and repayment orders, necessitating robust due diligence and adherence to strict ethical standards to mitigate exposure.

Source: Original reporting via {source}