Tefo Tefo
THE High Court on Tuesday heard how a Berea man was stabbed to death five years ago as he watched football on television at a certain home in Malieleng village.
Lethibela Letsipa (23) was allegedly assaulted and then fatally stabbed by Maphale Phantši (23) on 11 July 2010.
In his testimony before Justice Thamsanqa Nomngcongo, Lenka Rapholo (24) told the court he was among a group of people watching the match when Letsipa was allegedly killed by Phantši.
Rapholo said he was sitting with Letsipa in the kitchen when Phantši allegedly launched the unprovoked and fatal attack.
“I didn’t see Maphale coming into the house. I only realized his presence when he hit me with a stick and I ran outside, fearing for my life. As I bolted out of the house, he started hitting Lethibela with the stick, and I realized that the other people who had been in the lounge watching the soccer match on television were also fleeing the scene.
“I could hear the now-deceased screaming that he was being stabbed, and soon after, the accused ran out of the house and disappeared from the crime scene,” he said.
Rapholo further told the court that Letsipa “slowly came out of the house and looked helpless”.
He added: “I didn’t have the strength to look at him. I was suddenly afraid and simply went home, only to hear later that he had passed away.”
Another witness, Letsatsi Rantho (23), also told the court he was among the people in the house on the tragic day in question.
“After Maphale ran away, I was among the people who saw the wounds the deceased had sustained after being stabbed. He had wounds on the chest, left arm, abdomen and at the back.
“They were all stab wounds and the police were called to attend the scene,” he said.
Both Rapholo and Rantho said they did not know why Letsipa was killed because there had never been any argument between him and his alleged killer before the stabbing.
The case proceeds.
