Hopolang Mokhopi
A 40-year-old Lesia High School teacher, Makarabo Khanare, of Lesia, Ha Thetsane, has been charged with the attempted murder of her husband, Teboho Khanare.
Ms Khanare appeared before Maseru Magistrate Nkhethoa Molapo this week, charged alongside her alleged accomplices, Thabang Lebata (30) and Mosala Mokhobo (30), who had appeared before the court the same court day earlier.
The trio is accused of plotting and attacking Mr Khanare at his home with the intention of killing him.
According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly acted in concert on 11 August 2025 at Ha Thetsane, Lesia, in the district of Maseru, where they “did, whilst acting in furtherance of a common purpose, unlawfully assault one Teboho Khanare by suffocating him and striking him on the head with a firearm, intending to cause his death”.
Preliminary police reports suggest that Ms Khanare allegedly orchestrated the attempted killing of her husband to receive a payout from his life insurance policy.
She is said to have hired the two co-accused as hitmen and promised them payment upon successfully carrying out the murder. The plan reportedly involved the men entering Mr Khanare’s home while he was alone and staging the attack to make it appear like a robbery gone wrong.
However, the alleged plot failed. Reports indicate that during the attack, Mr Khanare fought fiercely for his life.
In the ensuing struggle, he reportedly managed to grab the firearm from one of the assailants and shot him in the face, severely injuring him. The second attacker fled the scene, leaving behind crucial evidence that later helped police identify all three suspects.
During the court appearance, Magistrate Molapo informed the accused of their rights to legal representation and bail but noted that the Magistrate’s Court lacks jurisdiction to grant bail in cases involving attempted murder. He advised that any bail applications should be made before the High Court, which handles murder cases.
All three accused were remanded in custody pending further investigations. They are scheduled to reappear in court on 25 November 2025.
