Lesotho's Appeal Court on Friday revoked bail which had been granted to ex-prime minister Thomas Thabane's wife, accused of murdering the leader's former spouse.

Maesaiah Thabane is accused alongside Thomas for the 2017 killing of Lipolelo Thabane, just two days before her husband's inauguration as Prime Minister.

Lipolelo was shot dead near her home in Lesotho's capital, Maseru.

The case has caused huge political upheaval in Lesotho, an independent kingdom lying in the middle of a South African mountain range.

Both Maesaiah and Thomas Thabane have denied any role in Lipolelo's death.

The court set aside the bail, with a panel of three judges citing in court papers the unusual speed of the decision among the reasons for the ruling, as well as the lack of consideration of the likelihood of witness interference.

The court said it could not order police to re-arrest Maesaiah Thabane but ordered that the bail ruling be remitted to the High Court to be heard by a different judge.