MASERU — A Chinese businessman yesterday appeared in the Maseru Magistrate’s Court to answer a charge of attempted murder.
Zhang Zhang Jian is accused of shooting one Kaizer Mahloane in November last year at his supermarket at Ha-Thetsane.
Jian owns a supermarket in Ha-Thetsane.
Magistrate ’Makopano Taole yesterday remanded Jian to prison until his bail application has been approved by the High Court.
Taole told Jian that the magistrate’s court did not have powers to hear bail applications in cases of attempted murder.
The prosecution said Jian shot Mahloane on the thigh with the intention of killing him.
However he only sustained a gun-shot wound on the thigh. The prosecution said Jian did this shot without any good reason.
Jian says he was defending himself against Mahloane who wanted to rob him of his money.
But the prosecution submitted that Jian snatched a gun from a security guard and shot Mahloane “for no good cause”.
The case has not yet proceeded because Jian still has to move his bail application in the High Court. The accused is expected to get a lawyer to move bail application on his behalf in
the High Court on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Lesotho News Agency reported that a 16-year-old boy appeared before the Maseru Magistrate’s Court to answer a charge of rape.
The court heard that the teenager allegedly raped two minor girls aged nine and 10 on November 30 last year.
The boy was released into her mother’s custody. The mother was ordered to ensure the boy attends remand hearings when required.
She was also ordered to ensure her son does not interfere with crown witnesses and police investigations.
The court also ordered that the teenager undergoes an HIV test. The case is expected to resume on January 31.
