Billy Ntaote
ALL Basotho Convention (ABC) Secretary-General Samonyane Ntsekele is adamant that the four people shot and killed in cold blood at a bar in Qeme on Sunday were supporters of his party, deliberately targeted after they had attended an ABC event.
But the police have so far said there is no evidence that the killings were politically motivated.
Mr Ntsekele, visited Qeme alongside several other ABC MPs, saying they had been sent by their leader Thomas Thabane to deliver condolence messages to the bereaved families. Qeme constituency MP Nkaku Kabi has also vociferously claimed that the four deceased and six injured were ABC supporters. .
Mr Ntsekele urged the police to work tirelessly to arrest the perpetrators.
According to Mr Kabi, two of the deceased, Tumello Kobile and Pali Kobile, who are cousin brothers, where among the strongest ABC campaigners in the constituency?
“I am disappointed by the killings of these strong cadres of my party. If it wasn’t because of these people I would not have won the February 28 polls in this constituency, hence my strong belief that they must have been targeted,” claimed Kabi.
Mr Kabi said evidence that the deceased had been deliberately targeted was because the shootings happened after they had attended a constituency fund raising rally in Ha Jimisi, still in the Qeme area.
Motimposo constituency MP Pitso Maisa said the killings were an indication their political rivals were on a war path. “If they are seeking a war they should declare war openly ….. so we can defend ourselves,” he said.
While the opposition politicians are adamant that the shootings were political, Kobile Kobile, the father of one of the deceased Tumelo, does not believe the killing of his son is related to his being an active member of the ABC.
He said the killings were most probably a result of differences among the men in the area which could have started at an initiation school which he runs.
“That’s what I suspect, not this politics business that people are talking about here. Yes My sons were known members of the ABC but I don’t believe anybody could have gunned them down for political issues,” said Mr Kobile.
