(MISA/IFEX) – On 3 July 1998, a pick-up van belonging to the editor of “MoAfrika” newspaper, Candi Ramainoana, was stolen in broad daylight. The theft, according to Ramainoana, is part of a persistent campaign of harassment against him that has been going on for close onto two years by people who want to “intimidate me […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 3 July 1998, a pick-up van belonging to the editor of
“MoAfrika” newspaper, Candi Ramainoana, was stolen in broad daylight. The
theft, according to
Ramainoana, is part of a persistent campaign of harassment against him that
has been going on for close onto two years by people who want to “intimidate
me from continuing my work as a political journalist/commentator.”
In a statement sent to MISA, Ramainoana expressed serious doubts about the
police apprehending the thieves. He said: “This is the third time inside
twenty two months that attempts are made on my life and property, both by
known and unknown persons.” In the first incident, which happened in 1996,
Ramainoana’s offices were invaded by supporters of the former leader of the
then ruling Basutoland Congress Party, Ntsu Mokhehle. Even though the matter
was reported to the police, and suspects were identified, nothing was done
about it. In the second incident, which happened last year, Ramainoana’s
house was attacked in the night by five men who pushed his card towards the
gate while some stood guard at the main door. The police arrived shortly
after the attackers were scared off, but to date nothing has emerged from
their investigations (see IFEX alert of 11 March 1997).
According to Ramainoana, the theft of his vehicle could also possibly be
linked to the publishing in the latest edition of “MoAfrika” of the findings
of a team of auditors, who had exposed serious discrepancies in the recent
general elections. Even though the findings were made public and were
covered by virtually all the media, the reports in “MoAfrika” were
particularly popular since, according to Ramainoana, the newspaper sold out
in less than two hours, when it usually takes up to two days to sell the
same number of copies. The theft also followed a series of anonymous
letters received by the newspaper since January this year and which accused
the newspaper of being a stumbling block in the way of the now ruling
Lesotho Congress for Democracy party.
