Hours before she was shot dead on the outskirts of the capital, Lesotho's former first lady, Lipolelo Thabane, made a surprising decision.
Francesca Lynagh reports.
Exclusive: Lesotho's murdered first lady agreed to divorce on day she died - sources
Hours before she was shot dead in June 2017, Lesotho's former first lady Lipolelo Thabane made a surprising decision in a new twist to the murder scandal which has attracted rare international attention to the tiny kingdom.
Lipolelo agreed to divorce her husband, Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, after years of refusing to make way for her rival.
That's according to a well-connected businessman - named Teboho Mojapela - who met with Lipolelo to mediate.
The meeting was confirmed by Lipolelo's friend and confidante Thato Sibolla, who was present.
It was on the way home from meeting with Mojapela and telling him that she was ready to 'free' her husband that she was murdered in her car.
Two days after the killing, Thabane, now 80, was sworn in for a second term, and two months later he married Maesaiah.
Police charged Maesaiah with Lipolelo's murder in February and named Thabane as a suspect, although he has yet to be formally charged in court.
They both deny any involvement.
On the evening in question, mediator Mojapela says he met with the prime minister and his current wife at a Chinese restaurant, where he told them Lipolelo had agreed to the split.
Reuters could not confirm the meeting.
Shortly after, Lipolelo was murdered – police say by a gang.
Thabane has been under pressure to resign over the case which has divided his party and triggered sporadic unrest.
The case has been postponed indefinitely.