Four police officers from different ranks have been formally charged in connection of the gruesome murder of Police Constable Mokalekale Khetheng
Nthatuoa Koeshe
THE family of slain army commander, Maaparankoe Mahao, has commended the four parties’ coalition government for its commitment to the restoration of the rule of law in Lesotho.
This follows the new government’s leading role in the discovery of the remains believed to be those of Police Constable (PC) Mokalekale Khetheng and the arrest of suspects in connection with the case.
PC Khetheng was stationed in Mokhotlong and last seen being arrested by his colleagues at a traditional feast in Sebothoane, Leribe on 25 March 2016 and had not been seen or heard from since.
This prompted his father, Thabo Khetheng, to lodge an application before the High Court on 18 July 2016 for the police authorities to produce him dead or alive.
PC Khetheng had been arrested and charged on allegations that he torched the house of his superior in Mokhotlong district where he was deployed.
He was allegedly last seen with Inspector Mofolo, PC Ntoane, PC ‘Mabohlokoa Makotoko and Senior Inspector Matona.
The LMPS had argued that PC Khetheng had left the Hlotse police station without permission and they did not know where he was. For its part, the Khetheng family argued that the police should know where he was because they arrested him.
A body believed to be that of PC Khetheng was exhumed at Lepereng Cemetery in the Maseru district on 11 August after the police were granted a court order by the Magistrate’s Court in light of the ongoing investigations into his disappearance and suspected murder.
Senior Superintendent Thabo Tšukulu (51), Senior Inspector Mabitle Matona (39), Sub Inspector Haleokoe Taasoane (44) and Inspector Mothibeli Mofolo (49) have since been charged with murdering PC Khetheng.
Last Monday, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tšeliso Monare, was also arrested in connection with the case, before being released the next day.
However, the LMPS has stressed that the released officer might be called back “if need be”, as investigations into the case continue.
And this has been welcomed by the Mahao family who said in a statement this week that, “the new LMPS leadership has demonstrated a commendable level of professionalism in conducting within a short time the investigations that led to the discovery of PC Khetheng”.
“We however, hold that it is ultimately when PC Khetheng’s killers and their conspirators are hauled before the courts of law and justice is served that the family will find final closure,” reads part of the statement.
The family further said that the nation’s confidence in the LMPS as a professional institution had likely been restored by such efforts.
“As we dip our banners in solidarity with PC Khetheng’s family, we urge the government and the police to continue to work hard to bring the culprits suspected in killing of many other compatriots in recent years to justice.”
The Mahaos said they remained confident that those who killed Lt-Gen Mahao, Sub Inspector Mokheseng Ramahloko, Lisebo Tang, Thabiso Tšosane, Mohau Qobete and many others will eventually answer for their crimes.
“As a nation, we should hang our heads in collective shame that PC Khetheng together with many other compatriots met their grisly deaths while we watched in helpless complicity.
“Only when justice has been discharged in these and many other cases will peace and normalcy be restored to Lesotho.”
Lt-Gen Mahao was fatally shot by his colleagues on 25 June 2015 just outside Maseru. The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) subsequently announced Lt-Gen Mahao was resisting arrest when he was killed, which the family has dismissed as untrue.
The Mahao family accused the army of killing him in cold blood basing on the account of his nephews who were with him during the incident.
After the killing, the-then Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, asked SADC to help establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, resulting in a Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Mpaphi Phumaphi of Botswana.
The 10-member commission carried out its investigations between 31 August and 23 October 2015 and recommended, among other things, that government should investigate the killing and prosecute those found to be responsible.
It also recommended that then LDF commander Lieutenant-General Tlali Kamoli be relieved of his duties “in the interest of restoring trust and acceptance of the LDF to the Basotho nation”.
Lt-Gen Kamoli was eventually retired in December 2016.
In the aftermath of his killing, the LDF reportedly retained his personal belongings including a side firearm, two mobile phones and spectacles.
The LDF also allegedly refused to surrender physical evidence which could help in the furtherance of the investigations.
