Maseru, Lesotho (CNN) Lesotho's Prime Minister Thomas Thabane skipped the country for a medical check up in South Africa on the day he was supposed to show up in court Friday to face charges of murdering his former wife, his office said.

Lipolelo Thabane was killed outside her home in the capital Maseru just days before the Prime Minister's inauguration in June 2017.

Lipolelo Thabane was shot dead two days before her estranged husband's inauguration for a second term as PM.

A statement from his office confirmed that the Prime Minister had traveled to South Africa early Friday morning for "urgent medical attention."

"The reason we are making this press statement is to put down the rumours that the Prime Minister didn't wish to appear in court," the statement said.

Thabane was expected to appear in court Friday where police intended to charge him with the murder of his former wife and the attempted murder of her friend.

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