Journo held for subversion
2007-06-26 20:49
Johannesburg - A journalist in the southern African kingdom of Lesotho has been arrested on charges of subversion for allegedly making contact with violent government opponents, police said on Tuesday.
Thabo Thakalekoala was picked up at the private Harvest FM radio station in the capital Maseru on Friday after he read out a letter said to have been written by members of the army denouncing Prime Minister Phakalita Mosisili as "the unwanted ruler of Lesotho".
He appeared in court in Maseru on Monday where he was released on bail for R1 000 and is due to appear in court on July 25.
"He is charged with subversion under Lesotho's internal security act of 1984," Inspector Pheello Mphana said.
"It means he is undermining the government by being in contact with anti-government criminals who have been attacking ministers and their bodyguards, secretly meeting with them and having them feed him with information."
Lesotho has been rocked by political unrest since the disputed outcome of elections in March which saw Mosisili returned to power for a third term.
A week-long curfew was lifted at the weekend following shooting attacks on a number of government ministers and their bodyguards as well as at the home of main opposition leader Tom Thabane.