/ 19 October 1999

LESOTHO RULES AGAINST DISMISSAL

A LESOTHO court-martial at which 38 members of the Lesotho Defence Force face mutiny charges, on Monday ruled against the discharge of all the accused. The court president, Lieutenant Phatoli Lekanyane, said the court has come to the conclusion that the accused had a case to answer. The alleged mutineers have been charged in connection with the uprising in September last year when junior officers mutinied and arrested senior officers. A Southern African Development Community force comprising South Africa and Botswana entered the kingdom to restore calm.