The National University of Lesotho has fired a serious warning shot at the Court of Appeal, accusing it of breaching principles of fairness and impartiality in handling the institution’s legal disputes. At the heart of the controversy is Professor Kananelo Mosito, who serves simultaneously as NUL’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor and President of the Court of Appeal. NUL argues that this dual role creates a reasonable apprehension of bias, particularly when cases involving Mosito are heard by judges who are his peers in the court he leads. The university has highlighted several troubling developments: its urgent application for review was neither acknowledged nor assigned a hearing date, while in a separate student matter, directives were issued within days. Furthermore, the court issued an order restraining the recruitment of a new Vice-Chancellor—a relief not sought by any party. NUL insists it is not attacking the judiciary but demanding transparency and consistency. ‘The optics are not good,’ the university stated, noting that confidence in the justice system is at stake. Legal experts say the case raises fundamental questions about judicial independence and accountability in Lesotho.
Article and image source: lestimes.com
