Shaun Abrahams appointed as Prosecutor in Sensitive Lesotho Murder Case

The government of Lesotho has made a strategic move by assigning Shaun Abrahams, the controversial former head of South Africa's prosecuting authority, with the responsibility of prosecuting eight army personnel accused of the murder of the former army commander of Lesotho, Maaparankoe Mahao, in 2015. This is not just any case - it is possibly the most politically sensitive case in the nation.

Despite facing criticism for his lack of independence during his tenure as South Africa's National Director of Public Prosecutions (2015 to 2018), Abrahams has agreed to take up the precarious role of the prosecutor in the case against Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) officials.

The case revolves around the shooting of Mahao under appalling circumstances on a desolate rural road in 2015, the details of which are still haunting for his young nephews who witnessed it. During Abrahams' tenure, he was accused of not taking appropriate action despite excessive evidence against then-president Jacob Zuma and the Gupta family, who were involved in serious corruption charges.

Thomas Thabane, Lesotho’s Prime Minister, has had close affiliations with the Guptas during his previous term as Prime Minister. However, there is no fuelling evidence suggesting that this alliance was influential in securing Abrahams’ appointment. In a ruling earlier this year, the South African Constitutional Court declared Abrahams' initial appointment as the head of the National Prosecuting Authority as invalid, citing inappropriate use of power by Jacob Zuma during the dismissal of his predecessor, Mxolisi Nxasana, and the consequential appointment of Abrahams.

Lesotho has often relied on foreign prosecutors for high-profile cases due to concerns about the quality of law practitioners in their public sector. Abrahams will now represent the crown in the case against the eight soldiers responsible for Mahao's murder - a highly politically sensitive murder trial. The prosecutor's independence will be monitored vigilantly due to the gravity of the case.