Tefo Tefo
A MAZENOD man suspected of brutally killing two nurses in Thaba-Bosiu two months ago, is expected to make his second appearance in the Maseru Magistrate’s Court on Monday next week.
Setsokotsane Majalle (20) of Ha-Lekhobanyane village in Mazenod was arrested on 19 October for the alleged murder of Mpho Khutšoane and ‘Mathebane Ramataboe on 12 August.
Majalle first appeared before the court on 21 October, and was remanded in custody by Magistrate Monyake Hlabanyane.
According to the charge-sheet, Majalle is facing two counts of murder and one of robbery.
Part of the charge sheet reads: “The accused is charged with contravening provisions of Section 40 (1) read with section 109 of the Penal Code Act of 2010, in that on 12 August 2014, and at or near Thaba-Bosiu, Ha-Mosalla in the district of Maseru, he unlawfully and intentionally assaulted Mpho Khutšoane by hitting her with a stone all over the body, inflicting upon her serious injuries which later caused her death right on the spot.”
The second indictment relates to the death of Ramataboe under similar circumstances, while the robbery charge reads: “The accused threatened to use violence on Mpho Khutšoane in order to steal or obtain her property, a VW Golf car.
“The accused threatened that unless Khutšoane consented or refrained from offering any resistance, he would shoot her there and then.
“He then took the car, which was her property or in her lawful possession.”
Magistrate Hlabanyane, when remanding Majalle, reminded him of his constitutional right to legal representation and seeking bail.
However, Mr Hlabanyane told the suspect that he could only seek bail in the High Court because the magistrate’s court did not have the powers to hear bail-applications for murder cases.
Describing the crime scene where the crushed bodies of Khutšoane and ‘Mathebane Ramataboe were found, detectives who spoke to the Lesotho Times at the time said the brutality of the killing had left them traumatised.
According to the detectives, the women had been severely assaulted and their skulls crushed, before their bodies were dumped in the donga.
“There was a sharp, blood-soaked rock in the donga where the women were found, and what looked like brain-matter since their skulls had been crushed. We suspect the stone was used to smash those women’s faces because their heads were brutally crushed. This was one of the most brutal crime scenes I have ever attended and it left me very disturbed,” one of the investigators, who requested anonymity, told the Lesotho Times.
Another police investigator said: “When we searched the women, we were lucky to find a cell-phone with airtime and we used it to establish that the two were nurses who had been attending workshops at Khotsong and Mmelesi lodges in Thaba-Bosiu.”
