Moorosi Tsiane
IT seems justice will finally be served for slain journalist, Ralikonelo Joki, as four alleged assassins were on Monday charged by the Maseru Magistrates’ Court for his murder.
The four men, hailing from Mokema in the outskirts of Maseru, appeared before resident Magistrate Peete Molapo who then remanded them in custody to 4 July 2023.
Mothusi Tlelase (31), Sootho Liphoto (35), Kamo Phakoe (35) and Moabi Sesioana (32) appeared before Magistrate Molapo under the heavy escort of the police’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) officers to be charged with murder.
The quartet is charged for contravening provisions of section 40 (1) of the penal code Act No 6 of 2010 read with 40 (2), further read with 26(1).
“In that upon or about the 14th day of May 2023, and at or near Tšenolo FM, Lower Thamae, in the district of Maseru, sharing common intention or purpose to persuade an unlawful act together and in the pursuit of such purpose did perform an unlawful act or omission with the intention of causing the death of Ralikonelo Joki, such death resulting from their act or omission. The said accused did thereby contravene the provisions of the code as aforementioned,” reads the charge sheet.
Tlelase, Liphoto and Sesioane were further slapped with additional two counts of murder for allegedly killing the house of parliament committees’ coordinator Mothibe Mothibe and his companion Thomello Ntsane on 20 May 2023. The deceased Ntsane is a sister to Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) Mamello Ntsane.
The four were informed of their rights to legal representation and to apply for bail at the High Court as magistrates’ courts do not have the jurisdiction to preside over murder cases.
They were remanded into the custody of the Lesotho Correctional Services (LCS) and ordered to reappear before the same Maseru Magistrates’ Court on 4 July 2023. Crown counsel, Tšepiso Hlojeng, told the court police investigations were still ongoing in the murder cases.
The quartet was ferried to the Maseru Magistrates’ Court on Monday at around 11am. They were chained and seated in the loading bin of the 4×4 bakkie which also carried some police officers. The van was escorted by a separate 4×4 with its own contingent of heavily armed police officers. All the police officers were clad in private attire and carried assault rifles.
Their appearance before court attracted a lot of public attention. The courtroom was fully packed. All the accused covered their faces with masks to avoid being identified by those present in the court gallery.
One woman from the gallery even asked the police officer manning the courtroom to order them to remove their masks but the officer indicated that he did not have powers to do so but to keep order in the court only.
Mr Mothibe and Ms Ntsane were shot barely six days after Mr Joki was killed. They were on their way home to Mokema. It is still not clear why the trio killed Mr Mothibe, but there are allegations that he was not seeing eye to eye with Sesioane while Ms Ntsane just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Mr Joki was brutally assassinated while exiting his workplace, Tšenolo FM premises in Maseru. He met his demise after he had just knocked off from his famous radio programme Hlokoana la tsela loosely translated to, I heard it through a grapevine.
The four accused persons were arrested at Maseru Bridge on the wee hours of 21 June 2023 upon entry into Lesotho from South Africa.
This after the police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli, had publicised them as wanted suspects during his weekly press briefing.
Although he said there are five suspects, he had only mentioned the names of Tlelase, Liphoto and Phakoe whom he said were believed to be in hiding in South Africa.
According to SSP Mopeli, preliminary investigations had revealed that Mr Joki had a fallout with one of the suspects over initiation squabbles as he was into culture and initiation activities.
“From what we have gathered so far, there is no information which points out to the latter 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 last week.
“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 five men who were involved in his killing on the night of 14 May, 2023. On the said night, the perpetrators were travelling in a blue Honda Fit – new model – bearing registration A 006 ABC.
“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.”
SSP Mopeli also stated that the fourth suspect was the driver that night and his whereabouts are known by the police but he is yet to be arrested. He said the car was in police custody while the fifth suspect’s whereabouts remain a mystery.
“This fifth suspect is the one whom our investigations indicate as the one who had the squabble with the deceased.”
He said three from the five were believed to have killed Mr Mothibe and Ms Ntsane on their way home on the night of 20 May 2023. The quintet is also believed to operate as assassins for hire.
“Tlelase and Liphoto are also prime suspects in the recent killing of one Mothibe Mothibe (44) and Thomello 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 gig, 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,” said SSP Mopeli just before the suspects were nabbed as they returned to Lesotho.
Although Mr Mopeli had stated that they knew the whereabouts of the fifth suspect, being the getaway car driver, it is not clear why he has not been arrested nor charged alongside his four co-accused.
Joki’s murder transfixed the country and tarnished Lesotho’s reputation internationally as journalists worldwide tend to cover issues affecting other journalists.
