…as student is suspected of murdering lover before killing himself
Moorosi Tsiane
IT is one thing to see tragic events depicted on television and in movies.
But when such tragedies occur in one’s neighborhood and become real life experiences, they can destroy their soul.
So it is with Karabo Phoka, a fourth-year Bachelor of Statistics and Demography student at the National University of Lesotho (NUL), on the morning of 30 September 2024.
On that day Ms Phoka’s friend, 22-year-old Lemohang Phomotsa, a third-year BA student in Social Work from Leribe, Mahobong, was found dead in her rented room in Roma, where NUL is located. Ms Phomotsa’s boyfriend, Siyabonga Matwela, who had spent the night with her, lay besides her unconscious before he too died.
Ms Phoka, who lives in an adjacent room, had woken up at approximately 5am to prepare for school. The serenity of the morning was then interrupted by screams coming from Ms Phomotsa’s room. Initially, she thought the noise was from passersby. Her curiosity grew when she heard a loud thud against her wall.
“I picked up my cellphone and tried to call Lemoh (as she affectionately called Lemohang Phomotsa).
“But before she could answer, I heard another loud noise from her room. Curiosity compelled me to knock on her door. I could hear heavy breathing, almost as if someone was being throttled,” Ms Phoka recounted.
It turned out Ms Phomotsa was being savaged by her boyfriend. As she stood at the door, hearing the commotion inside, Ms Phoka almost froze.
“I rushed to alert the landlord (Pakiso Shale). When he arrived, I explained that Lemoh might be in danger. We attempted to open the door, but it was locked while the burglar door was ajar. The landlord went to retrieve a spare key, and we managed to open the door.”
Upon entering, Ms Phoka and Mr Shale met with a horrifying scene. Blood pooled on the floor, and droplets splattered against the light blue walls of Ms Phomotsa’s room. Two bodies lay on the bed, with Ms Phomotsa partially covered by a blanket.
“There was a pool of blood on the floor, and droplets were visible on the walls and curtains. The sight was horrifying, and I felt an overwhelming sense of disbelief,” said Ms Phoka.
When a child of Mr Shale entered the room and turned the bodies, they discovered several deep, distressing wounds on Ms Phomotsa’s upper body.
“In that moment, Matwela’s body moved slightly, and we realised he was still alive,” she continued. He had a gush on his throat, which suggested he might have cut himself with a sharp object.
Ms Phoka and Mr Shale decided to leave the room to call for help. Matwela laid on his back, blood oozing from his mouth and throat.
Mr Shale alerted the Roma police about the incident, as well as the local chief, Motloli Maichu. The police only arrived hours later around 9am. They examined the bodies, gathered statements, and took the corpses to the morgue. Matwela had by now succumbed.
“It felt pointless because of their delayed arrival… They (police) took their time getting here,” Ms Phoka said.
Aftermath
The following day felt surreal for Ms Phoka.
“Whatever ripped the life from Lemo also stripped away my soul and peace.
“What troubles me most is that I knew this couple for over a year, and I had never witnessed any signs of violence between them, only the typical challenges faced by all couples. I cannot fathom what triggered such a tragic event.”
From the noise and screams she experienced, Ms Phoka is adamant that Matwela repeatedly stabbed her friend before he cut his own throat.
When the Lesotho Times visited Ms Phomotsa’s residence, the remnants of the incident were still visible, with bloodstains marking the floor and walls. Ms Phomotsa’s family had arrived to collect her belongings, and a steady stream of visitors, including Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development, Pitso Lesaoana, and officials from the Econet HigherLife Foundation, gathered outside.
“I don’t think there is much to say since the person who killed my daughter has also taken away my life. Still, I hope his (Matwela’s) family will reach out to us; until now, we’ve heard nothing,” said ‘Mamamello Phamotsa, Lemohang’s mother, in a phone interview later in the day.
“We had high hopes for our daughter. I have four children, and Lemohang is my second born; the eldest passed away in 2014. Now, I’m left with only two sons. This is an incredibly painful situation for us. Like any parent, we envisioned our child returning home with her degree, but that will not be the case. Now, we await the full police report.”
Minister Lesaoana, who is also a member of parliament for Roma, visited Mr Shale’s family, and urged those who had experienced the incident to undergo counselling.
“We must learn to tolerate each other and control our emotions. The government will reach out to the families of both the deceased, but we extend our condolences to all affected by this tragedy.
“After investing in their children’s education, parents still held great dreams for them, making it heartbreaking that their lives ended so suddenly.
“I hope this will serve as a lesson to their peers about healthier ways to resolve conflicts,” Mr Lesaoana added.
NUL Vice Chancellor, Olusola Isaac Fajana, reiterated the need for support and counselling.
“We were met with this tragedy on Monday. The school must find effective counselling methods, possibly by breaking students into smaller, manageable groups. We need to guide them in dealing with this tragedy while also encouraging healthier ways to cope with anger and frustration.
“This boy (Matwela) was set to graduate in just seven days. He was sponsored by Econet Telecom Lesotho’s Higherlife Foundation, and there were high hopes for his future employment. Yet here we are today, facing this challenge. We must find better solutions to conflicts,” Professor Fajana said.
