The Prime Minister of Lesotho, Tom Thabane, said on Friday that he would step down as the head of government of the mountain kingdom. This comes after suspicions that he may have been involved in the murder of Lipolelo Thabane, his second wife.
She was murdered two days before Thabane was sworn in as Prime Minister in 2017. This was his second stint as head of government of the kingdom. He previously served as Prime Minister from 2012 to 2015.
Police investigations showed that a phone call had been made from the scene of the murder to a number which allegedly belonged to Thabane. A warrant has also been issued for another of Thabane’s wives, Maesiah Thabane. She married Thabane two months after the murder and is reportedly on the run.
Thabane and Lipolelo had been involved in a bitter divorce, which had not been finalized at the time of her death.
Lesotho has suffered from political instability for many years, with a coup attempt as recently as 2014.