Moorosi Tsiane
A 41-YEAR-OLD man from Thaba-Tseka has been found guilty of murder after fatally stabbing his 3-year-old son 21 times with a knife on 13 October 2018.
Reli Letuka, of Khohlo-Ntso Bokong on the outskirts of Thaba-Tseka, first appeared before Justice Tšeliso Mokoko on Monday.
He pleaded guilty to the charge of murder, going against the advice of his lawyer, Advocate Tšebeletso Motluli, who had advised him to enter a not guilty plea.
Advocate Motluli cited his mental condition as the reason for her advice for a not guilty plea. Justice Mokoko rejected that proposition, revoked Letuka’s bail, and postponed the case to Wednesday to allow the prosecution and defence to prepare for trial.
When the trial began on Wednesday, Crown Counsel Advocate Thapelo Mokuku called the first witness, Mapheello Malube, a neighbour of the accused.
Ms Malube testified that on the morning of 14 October 2018, she discovered the body of the deceased, Lebohang Letuka, in her vegetable plot while emptying a bucket.
“At first, I thought Lebohang was sleeping. I went to his parents’ house to inform them. I found his older brother playing alone outside and asked if the child in my garden was Lebohang. He confirmed it was him but said he wasn’t sleeping—he was dead because their father had killed him,” Ms Malube.
Ms Malube said she rushed to another neighbour’s house but, still in shock, was unable to explain what had happened. Instead, she called out the accused’s name. A group of neighbours, including herself, then returned to Letuka’s home, where the older brother repeated his claim that their father had killed Lebohang.
The community alerted the area chief, Ntšekhe Ntšekhe, who mobilised nearby villages to help locate Mr Letuka. Later, the chief of Ha Nkokoane informed them that the accused had been apprehended.
“The villagers who went to Ha Nkokoane were told to wait for the police, who later handed Letuka over to Bokong Police. When asked why he had killed his son, he admitted that the child had been crying for food late at night and was making too much noise. He also revealed the murder weapon—a three-star Okapi knife—which he retrieved from the roof of his hut and handed to the police.”
The Crown presented five more witnesses, including Chief Ntšekhe, Head Chief Seephephe Mahao of Ha Nkokoane, the accused’s uncle Matiase Mokube, a villager who helped capture the accused, Tsepe Lekooa, and Police Constable Hlehlisi.
All witnesses corroborated the events, and the defence did not cross-examine them. Chief Ntšekhe testified that he examined the child’s body before the police arrived and counted 21 stab wounds.
After hearing all the evidence, Justice Mokoko briefly adjourned the court before delivering his ruling.
“The question is whether the charges fit the actions of the accused, despite his guilty plea,” Justice Mokoko said.
“The totality of the evidence points to the accused as the perpetrator of this heinous crime. His confession does not detail the extent of the injuries, but the post-mortem report provides clarity. The evidence shows clear intent to kill. The court, therefore, finds the accused guilty of murder.”
In mitigation, Adv Motluli pleaded for leniency, arguing that Letuka was remorseful and regretted his actions.
“He deeply regrets what he has done, My Lord, and we humbly ask the court to show mercy in sentencing,” she said.
However, Adv Mokuku argued that before sentencing, the accused should undergo a psychiatric evaluation to assess his mental stability.
“We lack sufficient insight into the accused’s life circumstances. While we know he worked in the fields and cared for two children, we have no information about the mother’s whereabouts or involvement. A psychiatric assessment is necessary to ensure a fair sentence,” Adv Mokuku said.
Justice Mokoko agreed and postponed sentencing to 13 March 2025 to allow for the psychiatric evaluation.
