Lesotho's Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has failed to appear in court to face charges of murdering his estranged wife in 2017.

An aide and Mr Thabane's son say the 80-year-old leader is receiving treatment in neighbouring South Africa.

His current wife Maesaiah Thabane has already been charged with the murder.

Mr Thabane would be the first African leader to be charged with a domestic murder while in office, in a case that has shocked the tiny mountain kingdom.

He has not commented on the allegations.


Police on Thursday said he would be charged with murder in court on Friday. He was expected in court at 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT), reports the Reuters news agency.

"He is not attending court, he has gone for a medical check up in South Africa," his personal secretary Thabo Thakalekoala told news agency AFP, adding that it was a "routine" medical check.

Mr Thabane's previous wife Lipolelo Thabane, 58, was shot dead in the capital, Maseru, two days before Mr Thabane became prime minister in 2017.