MASERU — Businessman Mohau Thakaso yesterday lost his cool after a case against his erstwhile colleagues at People’s Choice (PC) FM was postponed.
Thakaso, who is fighting to take over control of the radio station, shouted “thieves’ time will come” as the defendants left the court.
Magistrate Ts’eliso Bale postponed the case in which the PC FM top brass is facing fraud charges after the defendants’ new lawyer, Stephen Carl Buys, asked for time to study the case.
It also emerged that the case had to be postponed after the defence raised unspecified concerns about prosecutor Thabang Motsamai handling the case.
The case has been postponed to October 19.
Thakaso, who claims to be the rightful major shareholder in PC FM, was apparently not amused with yesterday’s turn of events.
“Thieves will continue to do all kinds of things trying to postpone this case indefinitely but their time will come,” he shouted without mentioning anyone by name as some of the defendants left the court.
Neither PC FM managing director Motlatsi Majara nor station manager Kholu Qhobela bothered to respond.
PC FM’s top brass is facing fraud charges that stem from the long-running battle for the control of the radio station.
The charges were laid after Thakaso alleged shares in the company had changed hands through illegal and irregular transactions.
Former newsreader Falla Lisanyane and presenter Liteboho Nkuebe, popularly known as DJ Counterforce, have also been summoned to court over the same charges.
So too have PC FM official Khauta Mpeqa and Refiloe Mohlotsane, a former presenter with the radio station better known by her moniker Queen.
Thabo Mpaka, a local lawyer who at one time was a co-signatory with Majara for one of PC FM’s bank accounts, is also expected in the dock over the fraud charges.
Thabo Mosala and Hubbard Monaheng, who co-own Wrenjos Holding, a local company which bought shares in the radio station, are also set to appear before the Magistrate’s Court.
Police started investigating PC FM’s top brass in November 2008 after Thakaso reported that his erstwhile partners and others had allegedly used the radio station’s money, not their own funds, to buy shares in the company.
Bale yesterday postponed the case after the defence appointed a new lawyer, Buys, who is believed to have requested the magistrate in the chambers for more time to study the case.
The prosecutor, Motsamai, said Buys was allegedly only briefed about the case on Tuesday.
Motsamai told prosecution witnesses outside the courtroom that another reason for the postponement was that the defence had raised allegations against her and submitted that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Leaba Thetsane, should recall her.
Motsamai, who did not mention the allegations levelled against her, said Thetsane had assigned an officer to investigate whether he should recall her or not.
“I am informed that someone has been commissioned to investigate the allegations before the DPP can decide whether to recuse me from the case or not,” Motsamai said.
