/ 29 April 1999

JUDGE’S ANTI-PRESS VENDETTA

ACCORDING to delegates to the International Freedom of Expression Exchange conference in Cape Town, a certain Justice Mahapela Lehohla of Lesotho is running a personal vendetta against the press. Lehohla evicts from his court all journalists he considers to be inappropriately dressed, despite the fact that no other judges take umbrage to the same garments. No fewer than seven reporters have been evicted on various occasions, most recently pursued by cries of: “this is not a rugby field, get out of my court, or else I will lock you up.” Attempts to meet the Judge’s dress code have proved fruitless.