By ‘Majirata Latela
The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) has conceded that its credibility and image have been severely dented following the recent theft of 75 firearms from the armoury at the Mafefeng police station.
Deputy police spokesperson, Sub-Inspector ‘Mareabetsoe Mofoka, has indicated that the recent stealing of guns, that include assault rifles, at Mafeteng has clearly painted a picture that there are rogue police officers in the LMPS. She said the picture shows that there are police officers who are not doing their work as expected.
“What happened at Mafeteng police station is very disturbing and humiliating to the institution. We are very disappointed and don’t even know how we can explain the scandal.
“This has somehow jeopardised the trust and faith that people have on our members of the police. People who have trust that the police station is the safest place one can go to are now disappointed,
“The stealing of guns at a police station shows also that we have rotten potatoes in the police institution. We have however started the investigations into the matter and following up on the leads that we get; we are still questioning some of the Police officers as well. We are working hard to make sure we get to the bottom of the case and give answers to the public on what really transpired leading to so many guns being stolen,” she lamented.
She also claimed: “It is clear that the guns were not taken all at once because they are very heavy. The person who did this did not do it all in one day or one night.”
She suggested that the safety of the Basotho nation is compromised following the disappearance of the weapons. She said the arms-cache was confiscated from the wrong hands either for murder or other crimes and found in possession of suspected criminals who had these unlicensed weapons,
“Now, that we do not know where the guns are currently and we do not know what the people in possession of those guns are planning is very worrying. This also means that many people’s lives are in danger until the guns are found,” she said.
Mofoka further indicated that investigations are also continuing at Hlotse Police station where there was robbery into one of the old police armoury that occurred on Tuesday night this week. She reported that no firearms were stolen as the armoury that was broken into did not have any guns.
theReporter further spoke to a criminologist, Mathibeli Ntlhabo who said criminality in the security sectors is influenced by a pursuit for status and social standing. He said when people do not get certain positions or status, they are likely to ‘look for other ways of getting the status which may sometime be illegal’.
He felt if the guns were stolen by member of the police, the status factors may have played a major role. The police officers who will be found involved or those who may have played a part in the theft, might have done so because they are possibly affiliated to a certain group of people or may be looking for status that will be fulfilled by having a certain amount of money, he thought.
“When a police officer steals a gun, it is either he or she wants money from selling it or keeping it for own illegal purposes,” he said.
He urged that people’s behaviour is impacted by different factors which are environmental, biological and genetics.
“Environmental factor is where people end up being associated with people who are capable of influencing the behaviour of a person. If a police officer associates himself with people who are into crime, he or she may end up getting involved in those criminal activities.
“On the environment factor, status and class also influence the behaviour. If one does not possess materials he desires for one might end up falling into the temptation of stealing or getting involved into criminal activities so as to fulfil a certain ambition.
“Other factors such as biological and genetics are factors whereby someone enters into criminal activities not by choice but inherited the behaviour. There are people who were born in the family of criminals and inherited the behaviour from the parents. In that way we say the person’s behaviour is biological,” he said.
He said some people are born with the genes of being a criminal.
