…alleges deteriorating health in prison
…claims double-murder convict Scott saved his life
Moorosi Tsiane
BASOTHO Covenant Movement (BCM) leader, Dr Tšepo Lipholo, says he is ready to face the High Court to end the long-running legal ordeal which he accuses the state of dragging unnecessarily while his health continues to deteriorate behind bars.
Dr Lipholo made the remarks during a pre-trial interview before the High Court and Court of Appeal Assistant Registrar, Advocate Mosito Rabotsoa, this week.
He was brought to the High Court under tight security by Correctional Services officers, cuffed on both hands and legs, before being taken to Adv Rabotsoa’s chambers for the pre-trial interview regarding charges of sedition, human trafficking and insulting the Royal Family.
It was during this session that he declared his readiness to stand trial.
“He has confirmed that he is ready to proceed with his trial, and lawyers from both parties have been called in for (the) PTPS (Pre-Trial Preparation Stage) on 9 December 2025,” confirmed Adv Rabotsoa.
Meanwhile, Dr Lipholo has filed a fresh bail application in the High Court, accusing the state of employing delaying tactics as he has still not been furnished with the docket for his charges.
“It is important to mention that to date the petitioner has not even been served with a docket(s) for the criminal charges so as to make progress with the criminal trial. An undertaking was made by the prosecution that investigations were complete and the docket is ready and (that) I will be furnished with it on or before 9 September 2025. However, no such docket has been availed to the defence despite request for it (sic).”
He further warns that his deteriorating health could render the trial meaningless.
“…at the rate your petitioner’s health is deteriorating, by the time the trial concludes his poor health condition will be so exacerbated, so deteriorated irrecoverably, or worse, he will be dead because it is impossible to obtain effective treatment in prison and his health condition is always declining,” he says in his application.
Dr Lipholo cites his deteriorating health as an exceptional circumstance warranting that he be granted bail.
In a startling revelation, he claims that his life was once saved by double-murder convict, Lehlohonolo Scott, after he suffered a severe breathing difficulty inside his prison cell.
“On the evening of 19 October 2025 your petitioner was already locked up in his cell for many hours. He experienced great difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath as though he were suffocating… The attack became more severe with time until he could not even scream or shout for help.
“Your petitioner was eventually able to reach out to a mop stick… and beat the stick against the cell doors to make an alarming sound. Inmates on (sic) nearby cells got the alarm… Inmate Lehlohonolo Scott and Inmate Tsukulu screamed out to the prison guards to come to the assistance of your petitioner… They kept screaming back… to inform him that an alarm had been raised,” he avers in his court papers.
He alleges it took about two hours before Correctional Services officers attended to him.
“It took the guards and prison nurse, Nurse Faso, almost two hours to attend to your petitioner… When they finally got to his cell your petitioner asked for help… but the nurse informed your petitioner that she would not administer any form of treatment… that she could only advise your petitioner to sit up on his bottom against the wall.
“She then left with the guards. After another two hours or so the guards came… cuffed your petitioner’s feet and took him to the prison clinic where he found Dr Lelimo.”
Dr Lipholo states that at that time he could hardly breathe, move, or speak, unaware that he was suffering from arrhythmias and a potential cardiac arrest.
According to him, Dr Lelimo later diagnosed him with severe arthritis; cardiac irregularities with potential cardiac arrest; neuropathy; respiratory symptoms; shortness of breath; recurrent paraesthesia likely due to bronchial plexus issues; dyslipidaemia; hypertension; dental pathology; and acute kidney injury likely caused by poor prison conditions and inadequate fluid intake.
“Your petitioner requires clean drinking water, neuropathy management, physiotherapy for arthritis-related stiffness and general physical rehabilitation… continued exposure to the cold in prison and inadequate medical supervision may further aggravate your petitioner’s medical condition,” he quoted Dr Lelimo as saying.
Dr Lipholo continues: “…it stands to reason that your petitioner’s continued incarceration under the current conditions poses a serious and immediate risk to his health and life… and they most likely will eventually result in irreversible complications and death.”
He is applying to be admitted to bail upon payment of a M2 000 deposit, on conditions that he does not abscond, does not hamper police investigations, does not interfere with crown witnesses, and does not prejudice the administration of justice in any way.
Dr Lipholo has been in custody since his arrest on 4 July 2025. Besides sedition, human trafficking, and insulting the Royal Family charges, he also faces a treason charge which remains before the Magistrates’ Court.
The treason charge was left behind when the Crown moved his other charges to the High Court earlier this month because some of his co-accused — BCM members Obed Makhatseane, Kenneth Matee, Mpiti Thamae and Mosiuoa Matsora — are still at large and are yet to be joined to the case.
