The South African news agency has reported that a High Court judge in Lesotho has ruled that thirty-two soldiers detained during the army mutiny in September must either be charged within eight days or released from detention.

The judge, Justice Winston Churchill Maqutu, said that the commander of the Lesotho Army had inadvertently abused the rights of the soldiers.

He also ordered the army commander to allow the soldiers to see their lawyers so they could prepare their defence.