Hopolang Mokhopi
TWO former court clerks are standing trial on corruption-related charges after allegedly defrauding the Thaba-Tseka Magistrates’ Court of more than M321,000.
Matieho Theoho (52) of Peka Tabola, and Mpho Samane (30) of Ha Matala, appeared before the Maseru Magistrates’ yesterday, where the prosecution alleges they misappropriated M321,093 while employed at the Thaba-Tseka Magistrates’ Court.
The matter is before Magistrate Lerato Ntelane, with Advocate Keketso Motiki leading the prosecution. Theoho and Samane are represented by Advocates Khathala and Lepeli Molapo, respectively.
According to the charge sheet, between the 2013/14 and 2015/16 financial years, the pair, while serving as Senior Clerk of Court and Court Clerk respectively, unlawfully and intentionally embezzled, misappropriated or diverted M321,093 entrusted to them by virtue of their positions.
In the alternative, they face a charge of aggravated theft. The prosecution alleges they unlawfully stole the money, which belonged to or was under the lawful possession of the Ministry of Finance.
Testifying for the prosecution, the Thaba Tseka court’s former Senior Accountant, Lieketseng Moeko, told Magistrate Ntelane’s court that she worked with both accused at the Thaba-Tseka Magistrates’ Court, where she was stationed from 2007 to 2013.
“I was working as a Senior Accountant. Ms Theoho, the first accused, was the Senior Clerk of Court, while the second accused, Ms Samane, was a Court Clerk,” she said.
Ms Moeko explained that her responsibilities included collecting court revenue and processing payments to suppliers before remitting the funds to the Sub-Accountancy.
After leaving Thaba-Tseka due to illness, she said she continued assisting the court from Maseru at the request of her superiors.
She testified that whenever she was away, either Theoho or Samane would handle payments after she had conducted a proper handover.
Ms Moeko told the court that on 1 April 2016 she received a call from her supervisor at the Sub-Accountancy informing her that a Board of Survey had detected irregularities in the court’s financial records and had requested Theoho to produce receipt books for verification.
“I called Ms Theoho to ask about what Ms Mongoako from Sub-Accountancy had told me. Ms Theoho said she had left Thaba-Tseka unexpectedly, but that she would report to Sub-Accountancy upon her return,” Ms Moeko testified.
She said the review of the records uncovered discrepancies, including duplicate entries in different receipt books.
“I then went to the Thaba-Tseka Magistrates’ Court to verify. I asked for the cash books and receipt books.
“I asked for three books in total. I realised that there was money that had not been accounted for. The books that were supposed to be submitted to Sub-Accountancy were not submitted, and Sub-Accountancy had not stamped the closed books.”
The trial was postponed to 18, 19 and 20 January 2027 for continuation of proceedings.
