MASERU — A 40-year-old man from Masianokeng appeared in the High Court this week to answer a charge of killing his father in a dispute over the ownership of a field eight years ago.
The prosecution alleges that Tsietsi Motumi fatally stabbed his father, Buta Motumi, at Masianokeng Ha-Mapetla on November 15, 2004.
The two had reportedly quarrelled after Tsietsi told his father that he wanted to take over the family fields.
Tsietsi’s uncle, Taole Motumi, yesterday told High Court judge Justice Semapo Peete that he witnessed the incident.
He said he was coming from Maseru Central Charge Office with the late Motumi where they had gone to report about the conflict between the two.
“We were accompanied by a certain police officer to Ha-Mapetla so that Tsietsi could be arrested but he was not there at his home,” Taole said.
He said he then followed Buta to his home “and as I approached the gate to his home I heard one ‘Maitumeleng shouting and asking Tsietsi why he was killing Buta”.
Taole told the court that he ran towards Tsietsi’s house where he found him stabbing his father with a knife.
“Buta was lying on the ground as Tsietsi kept on stabbing him,” he said, his voice shaking with emotion.
The 60-year-old Taole said he then picked some stones and threw them at Tsietsi in a bid to stop him from stabbing the deceased.
“Tsietsi held Buta up and threw him to the fence and ran away. I hurried to Buta in an attempt to stop the blood that was dripping from his wounds but as I approached I saw him dying,” a weeping Taole said.
He added that he observed nine stab wounds around the neck and on the chest.
Tsietsi had a vendetta against his father, the court heard.
“He kept on fighting his father over the fields,” Taole said.
Justice Peete said a radio announcement should be made to call one Itumeleng Motumi to testify because he also witnessed the incident.
The case will proceed on Monday.
