—arrests a major breakthrough in a case that tainted the nation
Hopolang Mokhopi/’Marafaele Mohloboli
POLICE have arrested four alleged Famo gangsters believed to have killed popular radio journalist, Ralikonelo Joki.
Mr Joki was murdered on 14 May 2023 as he left his workplace, Tsenolo FM, in a brutal assassination that shocked and transfixed the country.
The arrested quartet, believed to have been hiding in South Africa, was arrested in the wee hours of yesterday upon entry into Lesotho at the Maseru Bridge Border Post.
The arrests came barely 24 hours after the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) had publicized the names and pictures of three of the four as the wanted suspects in Mr Joki’s murder.
Those arrested are Sootho Liphoto (35), Kamo Phakoe (35) and Mothusi Tlelase (31). The fourth arrested suspect was not immediately named by the police. They believe he is the one who had squabbles with the deceased.
“The four men were arrested at the Maseru border following a tip-off that they would be coming through. They were nabbed between 1am and 2am. They remain in police custody for further investigations and will appear before court once all investigations have been completed,” said Senior Superintendent (SSP) Mpiti Mopeli yesterday.
Even though speculation has been rife that Mr Joki was killed over his work as a journalist, SSP Mopeli said preliminary investigations showed that might not have been the case. But he was also quick to add that any possibility could not be ruled out as investigations were still ongoing.
The arrests are a major initial breakthrough for the LMPS, which has earned widespread scorn and derision over its incompetence in fighting crime. The arrests also came in the wake of a declaration by LMPS boss, Holomo Molibeli, that they knew who the killers were and had launched a manhunt for them.
At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, SSP Mopeli had also reiterated that the police knew Mr Joki’s killers. He said they were also on the hunt for a fifth person who had been the getaway driver during the night of Mr Joki’s murder. He said they had already impounded the blue Honda Fit (new shape) bearing the registration plate – A 006 ABC – which had been used in the commission of the crime.
SSP Mopeli had further revealed at the press briefing that Tlelase and Sootho, as well as the unnamed getaway driver, were also suspects in the killing of a Parliament Committees Coordinator, Mothibe Mothibe, and Thomello Ntsane, with whom he was driving home on 20 May 2023. It is not yet clear why Mr Mothibe was killed alongside her companion, Ms Ntsane. But their killings became part of the ubiquitous gruesome murders that have catapulted Lesotho to number three in the world for homicides after El Salvador and Jamaica.
According to SSP Mopeli, preliminary investigations have revealed that Mr Joki could have had a fallout with one of the suspects over “initiation squabbles” as he was also into culture and initiation activities at initiation schools.
Initiation schools are traditional remote placeswere boys are camped together and taught about “how to become real men”. They also get traditional, dangerous unanaesthetized circumcision at these “schools”.
“From what we have gathered so far, there is no information which points out to the latter (Mr Joki) having been killed for issues related to his journalism job but instead that he had a squabble with one of his killers over initiation issues,” SSP Mopeli said.
“However, investigations are still ongoing and at this moment we cannot rule out other factors which may have led to his demise.
“We found out that there are a total of five men who were involved in his killing on the night of 14 May, 2023. On that night, the perpetrators were travelling in a blue Honda Fit – new model – bearing registration number A 006 ABC.
“Some of the suspects are Sootho Liphoto aged 35 of Mokema who was residing at Ha-Abia, Kamo Phakoe (35) of Jordane Ha-Rapokolane, residing at Mokema, Abia and Qoaling, and Mothusi Tlelase (31) of Mokema Koro-koro.”
“The other suspect (who was also arrested at the border) is the one whom our investigations indicate had a squabble with the deceased.” The driver of the getaway vehicle is the fifth suspect.
Three of the five suspects are believed to have killed Mr Mothibe and Ms Ntsane on their way home on the night of 20 May 2023.
The five are believed to operate as assassins for hire.
“Tlelase and Liphoto are also prime suspects in the recent killing of one Mothibe Mothibe (44) and Timello Ntsane (48), who were shot dead on 20 May 2023 in Mokema. In that incident, the same car was used and was driven by the same person, meaning that whenever there is a hit, he (the driver) is called.
“The motive of their killing is not clear except that the alleged killers had said Mothibe is too forward, and they were going to collect a firearm from him. All these men are said to be related to Famo gangs and the suspicion is that they are now in South Africa,” SSP Mopeli had said on Tuesday before the arrests yesterday.
Mr Joki was assassinated on the night of 14 May 2023 after he had shortly wrapped up his popular evening programme Hlokoana-la-tsela (I heard it through the grapevine), while Mr Mothibe and Ms Ntsane were killed on the night of 20 May not far from their homes. They had multiple shot wounds. Six 9mm shells were recovered from the scene with six others from a 7.65mm pistol.
The National Security Service (NSS) director general, Pheello Ralenkoane, had deposed an affidavit last month in which he accused Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Machesetsa Mofomobe and Democratic Congress Youth League (DCYL) leader, Moeketsi Shale, of masterminding Mr Joki’s murder. He deposed the affidavit while justifying his decision to order the seizure of the two politicians’ mobile phones. The courts have since declared Mr Ralenkoane’s move illegal (see story on page…………..)
Mr Mofomobe is now seething. He is suing Mr Ralenkoane for M5 million for defamation even though the police have said they are not yet conclusively ruling out any other motives for Mr Joki’s killing. (see story on Page…….)
