Top lawyer and husband locked in bitter court battle

…as allegations of infidelity, financial misconduct and secret dealings tear apart Mafatle business empire

Moorosi Tsiane

WHAT began as a marriage that helped build one of Lesotho’s prominent family business empires has descended into an explosive legal battle marked by allegations of infidelity, financial misconduct, secret property acquisitions and the alleged misuse of company resources.

At the centre of the dispute are Thabeng Hotel co-owner and attorney, Advocate Tiisetso Mary Sello-Mafatle, and her husband and business partner, Teboho Clovis Mafatle, whose deteriorating relationship has spilled into the courts and placed their multimillion-maloti business empire under scrutiny.

The bitter fallout has already resulted in seven companies linked to the couple being placed under provisional judicial management as both parties trade damaging allegations over the management of the businesses and the collapse of their marriage.

Adv Sello-Mafatle accuses her husband of using company resources to fund the lifestyles of women she alleges were involved in extramarital relationships with him, while simultaneously diverting company assets to establish what she describes as a parallel empire outside their joint interests.

Mr Mafatle has rejected the allegations in their entirety, accusing his wife of relying on suspicion rather than evidence and using matrimonial disputes to justify extraordinary court intervention.

The dispute culminated in Commercial Court Judge Moroke Mokhesi granting an interim order placing seven companies under provisional judicial management pending investigations and audits into their financial and operational affairs.

The affected companies are Thabeng Hotel, Exo Expo Trailers (PTY) LTD, Rebang Investment (PTY) LTD, Trailerland (PTY) LTD, In-Exit Express (PTY) LTD, Leralleng Investment (PTY) LTD and Sea-Point Trailers & Equipment Hire (PTY) LTD.

From business partners to courtroom rivals

In her founding affidavit, Adv Sello-Mafatle describes a marriage and business relationship that had, for years, operated on trust and shared responsibility.

She states in her court papers that Mr Mafatle managed operations across the companies, overseeing staff and business growth, while she provided legal, compliance and regulatory support through her law firm, Sello Mafatle Attorneys.

According to her, financial reports, investments and business decisions were managed within what functioned as a closely held family enterprise.

“The support that I have always provided to the companies through my law firm has been free of charge and it was based on the common understanding that this was my direct contribution to the joint estate,” she states in her court papers.

She says neither she nor her husband drew salaries from the companies, with profits instead reinvested to expand their business portfolio.

“As a result of our joint effort, we have been able to diversify the operations of our family companies portfolio. The profits from one company would be used and invested in another company to support its growth.”

However, she alleges that the relationship began deteriorating around 2017 when Mr Mafatle allegedly became increasingly secretive about company affairs and ceased sharing information on operations, investments and profits.

She further claims he repeatedly threatened that she had not yet seen “the worst” of him and warned that he would eventually leave her financially devastated.

“In the very recent years he has continuously threatened me that I am yet to know the worst of himself, that he will divorce me, leave me and proceed to live a nice life while I remain a miserable destitute divorcee,” Adv Sello-Mafatle states.

According to Adv Sello-Mafatle, those remarks only became meaningful after she allegedly uncovered what she described as a pattern of misconduct involving employees, company finances and alleged extramarital relationships.

Alleged misuse of company resources

In court papers, Adv Sello-Mafatle alleges that several women linked to the businesses benefited from company funds and assets.

“He is engaged in a series of adulterous relationships with several different women, ranging from girls young enough to be her daughters and some of whom work at some of his companies. These adulterous relationships have had a direct impact on the management of the companies and on the application of the companies’ assets.”

Among those named was Paballo Lenepa, an employee at Exo Expo, whom Adv Sello-Mafatle alleges had access to company mobile money accounts and maintained a lifestyle she believes was inconsistent with her earnings.

According to the affidavit, Ms Lenepa earned a monthly gross salary of M5516 but allegedly owned a Mazda 3, rented a duplex apartment, enrolled her child at an expensive private school and had recently moved into a newly built house at Ha-Foso.

Adv Sello-Mafatle alleges that these benefits were financed through money diverted from company operations.

“Lenepa is able to maintain this expensive lifestyle on account of the monies that she embezzles from my husband’s companies, funds that come into her possession.”

She further alleges that company funds were used to finance Ms Lenepa’s personal expenses, including clothing, cell phones and trips.

The affidavit also alleges that Ms Lenepa and Mr Mafatle travelled together and that photographs posted on social media showed them at locations in South Africa.

Adv Sello-Mafatle argues that the alleged relationship had damaged staff morale and company operations.

Adv Sello-Mafatle also names Retšepile Phalatsi, an employee at Thabeng Hotel, alleging she had access to hotel mobile money accounts and had received deposits from Mr Mafatle.

Another woman identified in the affidavit was Limakatso Mothabi, described as a supplier to Thabeng Hotel. Adv Sello-Mafatle alleged that company resources had been used to acquire property and support construction projects linked to her.

She further claims some employees and associates had assisted in concealing financial irregularities.

The affidavit names employee Molapo Moshoeshoe, long-serving staff member Tatapa Lebona Mofoka and Mr Mafatle’s younger brother, Hape Mafatle, as individuals who allegedly benefited from company transactions that she questioned.

Adv Sello-Mafatle argues that urgent intervention was necessary because Mr Mafatle retained operational control and access to company records.

She sought an ex parte order, arguing that advance notice could lead to records being altered or destroyed.

Justice Mokhesi agreed to grant interim relief and appointed chartered accountant Api Setsabi and attorney Qhalehang Letsika as provisional judicial managers tasked with investigating the companies and reporting to the Registrar of the Commercial Court.

Mafatle rejects allegations

The court order immediately triggered a second legal challenge.

Mr Mafatle approached the High Court seeking a review of the Commercial Court’s decision.

Through his lawyer, Adv Thato Chabana, he argues that the Commercial Court had improperly granted orders with far-reaching consequences without giving him an opportunity to be heard.

“The court erred and misdirected itself by granting interim orders with final effect and without affording Mr Mafatle an opportunity to be heard,” court papers state.

In Commercial Court opposing papers, Mr Mafatle denies mismanaging company affairs and instead accused his wife of financial impropriety.

He alleges that the couple had agreed to renovate Thabeng Hotel and construct a swimming pool at an estimated cost of M500 000, but claims funds transferred into Adv Sello-Mafatle’s account for the project were later used elsewhere.

Mr Mafatle further alleges that between August 2025 and May 2026, Adv Sello-Mafatle transferred M225 000 from Thabeng Hotel into her personal account.

He maintains that major business decisions had always been taken jointly and denies excluding his wife from company affairs.

He also rejects allegations of extramarital relationships.

“I deny categorically that I have extra marital affairs with any person, including those mentioned by the Deponent,” Mr Mafatle states.

Mr Mafatle further argues that allegations regarding personal relationships were irrelevant to judicial management proceedings and intended only to damage his reputation.

He denies allegations involving Ms Lenepa, Ms Phalatsi, Ms Mothabi and other individuals named in the application, insisting their dealings with the companies were legitimate and known to both parties.

He accuses his wife of making untruthful allegations designed to attract sympathy from the court.

Regarding Ms Lenepa, he says she was simply an employee who had been hired through normal procedures.

“I deny any improper relationship with Paballo and in fact I did not know Paballo in 2017.”

On Ms Phalatsi, he says her access to company mobile money accounts resulted from her role in facilitating the opening of those merchant accounts on behalf of Thabeng Hotel.

In any event, he argues that allegations regarding affairs were irrelevant to judicial management proceedings.

“These allegations are also irrelevant to judicial management and are designed only to defame and ridicule me.”

Regarding Ms Mothabi, he says she was known to him as his wife’s designer and denied ever purchasing land or building a house for her.

“I aver that claims that I bought land for Limakatso are false.”

Mr Mafatle also rejects allegations involving Molapo Moshoeshoe, Tatapa Lebona Mofoka and his brother Hape. He states that both Moshoeshoe and Mofoka had legitimate company loans which they continued to repay.

He also dismisses claims of financial misconduct, arguing the application failed to satisfy legal requirements for judicial management.

“There is no evidence presented that these companies are terminally ill or chronically ill by reason of mismanagement or misappropriation,” he argues.

Mr Mafatle describes the matter as an abuse of court process founded on hearsay, suspicion and marital conflict rather than corporate wrongdoing.

The matter is expected to proceed before Justice Moneuoa Kopo next Thursday.

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