A just filed police affidavit revealed a murder for hire scheme, where Lesotho's former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and his wife, Maesaiah, made a down payment of $24,000 to kill his estranged wife Lipolelo three years ago.

The French News Press (AFP) said, Deputy Commissioner of Police Paseka Mokete said, Thabane and Maesaiah "wanted the deceased dead so that (Maesaiah) could assume the position of First Lady."

Thabane was in a nasty divorce with Lipolelo when she was shot and killed outside her home two days before her husband's 2017 inauguration.  Police say the initial attempt to kill Lipolelo failed, but it's unclear what happened. 

Thabane resigned under pressure last month as leader of the tiny southern African country, amid allegations he was impeding the police investigation. 

Thabane denies any involvement in the murder, but police say he physically pointed out his ex-wife's house to. Maesaiah before the ambush shooting.

Maesaiah, who is charged with murder, is out on bail. One of her co-conspirators is reportedly helping prosecutors. The police commissioner said, the total payout for the murder for hire was just over $179,000.

VOA