MASERU – South African lawyer Shaun Abrahams has resigned from the Lesotho directorate of public prosecutions amid allegations of blackmail and falsifying information.

He told Lesotho Express News that his resignation was for ethical reasons, but all inquiries for details should be forwarded to the director of public prosecutions Hlalefang Motinyane.

Motinyane announced yesterday that she approved Abrahams’ resignation that she called “unfortunate”, allowing him to throw in the towel.

She also didn’t specify the reasons advanced for the resignation, but last month one of the suspects Colonel Thato Phaila alleged that Abrahams attempted to blackmail him to give false information.

Phaila and 8 other accused soldiers, including another former army commander Tlali Kamoli, who are on trial for allegedly killing former army commander Maaparankoe Mahao, went to court to demand that Abrahams and another prosecutor ‘Naki Nku recuse themselves

Abrahams was trusted with high profile cases including the killings of Mahao, police constable Mokalekale Khetheng and the two people found in the Mohale dam.

He was also handling the alleged 2014 coup and treason case against Kamoli, former deputy prime minister and leader of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy Mothetjoa Metsing, and leader of the Movement for Economic Change Selibe Mochoboroane.

Abrahams’ departure also puts on ice the cases of the bombings of houses including that of former prime minister Tom Thabane’s wife – and then girlfriend- ‘Maesiah Thabane, as well as the corruption case against former Sports minister Mahali Phamotse.