• Police investigate circumstances surrounding wounds found on two dead bodies
• Families discover their relatives’ bodies with bite wounds
• Hospital pays M15,000 compensation to one family whose relative had missing parts on the underarms and private parts
• Another family rejects compensation, demanding more money

9 May 2026 by Monyane Khau

Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital has temporarily suspended mortuary services after the families of two deceased individuals discovered missing body parts on their loved ones during inspections conducted before the bodies were transferred to mortuaries of their choice.

Hospital Managing Director, Dr ‘Makhoase Ranyali, told Uncensored News that mortuary services were temporarily suspended on 3 April 2026 to allow investigations into a “reported incident.”

 “The mortuary services were temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure while the investigation connected to the reported incident is ongoing,” Dr Ranyali said.

She said alternative arrangements have been made to keep the deceased in a suitable location. Inside sources told Uncensored News that the alternative arrangement is at Lesotho Funeral Services.

Dr Ranyali declined to disclose whether the hospital is paying for the safekeeping of the bodies at the alternative facility, saying “this matter is internal and need not be conveyed to the public domain.”

She indicated that investigations into the missing body parts have since begun.

The investigations started after the family of 15-year-old Palesa Thohlane, a former Thetsane High School student, discovered that her lower lip was missing.

Inside sources allege that a post-mortem report revealed that Palesa’s lower lip had been bitten by what appeared to be a rat or mice while she was at the mortuary.

Dr Ranyali said Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital does not have an ongoing pest infestation. “We have a schedule that is put in place for pest routine prevention and monitoring across all hospital areas (mortuary included), this reported incident is under investigation.”

However, questions remain as to why the shroud used to cover Palesa’s body did not have any holes, as explanations surrounding the incident continue to change. Initially, mortuary staff told the family that Palesa’s lower lip was already missing when her body was brought to the mortuary, but ward attendants denied the claims.

The family has since reported the matter to Lithabaneng Police Station. The case was confirmed to Uncensored News by police spokesperson Superintendent Thabo Mohai on 8 May 2026.

 “On or around 30 March 2026, the Lithabaneng police received a report from a family complaining that their loved one’s body had wounds that she did not present with when admitted at the hospital,” Superintendent Mohai said.

He added: “When the police went to the mortuary the following, they established that there was another corpse with bitten by unknown thing.” He indicated that they are investigating circumstances around the two incidents.

Family turns down compensation as too little

A day after Palesa’s family raised alarm over their daughter’s missing lower lip, hospital management called them for a meeting and allegedly apologised. Later, the hospital offered the family M15,000 in compensation, which they rejected as too little. Instead, the family demanded M150,000, but the hospital indicated that the amount was beyond its financial capacity and proposed a counteroffer of M20,000. The offer was also rejected.

Another family, whose relative allegedly had missing body parts under the arms and around the private parts, has reportedly agreed to a compensation payment of M15,000.

Dr Ranyali declined to divulge information related to compensation or negotiations, saying: “communications with the relevant families in relation to these matters are confidential and should be treated as such, in view of the sensitive nature of these incidents.”

Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital faced a budget shortfall of M158 million for operations in the financial year that ended on 31 March 2026. In March 2026, Parliament’s Social Cluster Portfolio Committee agreed to release the hospital’s 2026/2027 budget after then Health Minister Selibe Mochoboroane promised to address parliamentarians’ concerns regarding the hospital’s legality and its relationship with the Lesotho government, including justification for continued government funding.

Mochoboroane was reshuffled to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on 29 April 2026, while ‘Mamokete Ntsekhe was appointed Minister of Health. Mokhethoaneng Member of Parliament and Social Cluster Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Mokhothu Makhalanyane, wants Parliament to be updated on the progress the Ministry of Health has made in addressing concerns surrounding the legality of the relationship between Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital and the Lesotho government.