The first lady of Lesotho has reportedly turned herself in to police after receiving an arrest warrant last month for the killing of her husband's first wife.

According to NPR, Maesaiah Thabane is suspected of killing Prime Minister Thomas Thabane's estranged wife, Lipolelo Thabane. The 42-year-old was hiding in neighboring country South Africa for nearly a month. But she returned for questioning following negotiations between her lawyers and law enforcement.

According to BBC, Lipolelo was murdered two days before Thomas Thabane took over as prime minister in 2017. The 58-year-old was shot several times when she was returning home in the evening and left on the side of the road.

The prime minister and Maesaiah married a few months after the murder, NPR reports. Although the prime minister and his first wife had been separated for years, Lipolelo was still legally considered the nation's first lady, and she was entitled to the benefits of her position.

The first lady has now been accused along with eight others, Yahoo reports.

"She has been charged with murder alongside eight others who are in Lesotho and South Africa," Deputy Police Commissioner Paseka Mokete told reporters.

Authorities also suspect the prime minister after finding cell phone calls he made to someone at the scene of the crime. Police believe they have a very strong case against the prime minister and expect the investigation to finish in the next few weeks, The Post reported.

Maesaiah will be formally charged in court on Wednesday. Police said they will oppose her bid if she applies for bail because she is believed to be a flight risk.

Thabane recently said he is stepping down from office, but it's not clear when he plans to do so, NPR reported.

Lesotho

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