LERIBE — A 26-year-old woman from Pitseng in Leribe was stabbed to death last Friday after she allegedly rejected a man’s love proposal.
Police spokesman Pheello Mphana said the deceased, ‘Mapaballo Rapoeea, was stabbed all over her body after a party on New Year’s Day.
Mphana said the 28-year-old suspect who is in police custody had volunteered to accompany the deceased on her way back home after the party.
“The suspect who was said to have been pursuing a love affair volunteered to walk the deceased home from the social gathering,” Mphana said.
He said the suspect began stabbing Rapoeea all over the body when she turned down his advances.
The suspect was arrested following the incident and is yet to appear in court.
In another incident in Mafeteng, the police said a 41-year-old woman was stabbed to death by an unknown man last Thursday.
According to a police report, ‘Mapolo Au was walking home with another woman when a man suddenly appeared from the bush and threatened to shoot them.
Mphana said the man released the other woman but kidnapped Au and took her into the bush.
“The woman ran to the village to call for help. But as the villagers approached, the suspect ran away.
“She (Au) was taken to the hospital where the doctor confirmed her dead,” he said.
Mphana said the police were still looking for the suspect.
In another incident, a 72-year-old man from Qeme, Ha-Thaabe, was also stabbed to death by unknown assailants on Christmas Day, according to the police.
‘Manapo Ramootsi’s son, Napo, said his mother had left for church earlier that day but failed to come back home on time.
Ramootsi said at first he had not been bothered by her mother’s late return as it was Christmas.
“I did not begin looking for her since a lot of people were still walking about the streets,” Ramootsi said.
But he said as time went by — and there was still no sign of his mother — he began to get worried.
Ramootsi said as he was about to go out in search of his mother, a neighbour arrived and beckoned him to follow.
“He escorted me towards the church compound where we found my mother lying down, covered in blood.
“Her dress was rolled up to her waist,” he said.
“I picked her up and tried to put her in a sitting position. I then rushed to look for a car that could take her to hospital. When I came back, she had died. We had to wait for the police.”
He said he did not know the cause of his mother’s death but told the Lesotho Times there had been allegations his mother was involved in witchcraft.
He said there were individuals in the village who wanted to harm his mother.
“I cannot think of anyone who could have done this but I know that many people did not like my mother. They think she was a witch,” he said.
Ramootsi said this was not the first time his mother had been attacked.
In 2006, he said some village boys who were claiming to be police officers attacked his mother, accusing her of practising witchcraft.
“Immediately after the incident, I took my mother to live with me in my home.
“Even then some people came and broke our windows. Later that year, she was even shot after similar accusations of being a witch.”
The police have said they are concerned with the rising cases of murder across the country.
At least 19 people were murdered around the country in just a space of one week between December 20 and 27 last year.
