Tefo Tefo
THE High Court is today expected to set a date for the hearing of the case in which former army commander, Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli, is charged with the murder of Police Sub-Inspector, Mokheseng Ramahloko, during the attempted coup of 30 August 2014.
Lt-Gen Kamoli first appeared before the High Court on 16 March 2018 and on that day, Justice Thamsanqa Nomngcongo, formally informed him about the murder charge.
Lt-Gen Kamoli appeared alongside Captain Litekanyo Nyakane, Lance Corporal Motloheloa Ntsane and Lance Corporal Leutsoa Motsieloa when the charge was read to them.
Justice Nomngcongo postponed the case to today for the court to set a trial date against Lt-Gen Kamoli and his co-accused.
Lt-Gen Kamoli retired on 1 December 2016 and he was arrested in October 2017, just a few months after the advent of the Thomas Thabane-led four party regime in June 2017.
He has been languishing in custody at the Maximum Security Prison since his arrest and his bid for release on bail was denied by High Court judge, Justice Teboho Moiloa.
Justice Moiloa ruled in November 2017 that Lt-Gen Kamoli had failed in his bail application to substantiate his claim that he was suffering from influenza which required him to be in close proximity to his doctors.
Justice Moiloa also ruled that Lt-Gen Kamoli had failed to demonstrate that there were exceptional circumstances that warranted his release on bail as required by law.
Apart from the murder charge, Lt-Gen Kamoli faces 14 counts of attempted murder in connection with the 27 January 2014 simultaneous bombings of the Moshoeshoe II homes of First Lady Maesaiah Thabane and the Ha Abia residence of former police commissioner, Khothatso Tšooana.
There could be more charges coming Lt-Gen Kamoli’s way after Justice Nomngcongo and the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Hlalefang Motinyane, indicated during the former’s last court appearance that the murder judge was “just a holding charge”.
A holding charge is legal jargon which refers to an accusation that can levelled against a suspect so that they can be detained while more charges are being prepared or investigated.
