MASERU — Two men from Butha-Buthe were sentenced to 25 years each by the High Court for murder and assault.
Teboho Mlangeni, 24, and Mpokatsi Lehloesa, 29, were charged with murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
They were convicted on both counts.
They were sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each for murder and another five years imprisonment without an option of fine for assault.
The court ordered that the sentences run consecutively.
According to the prosecution the accused killed Lehlohonolo Mlangeni and assaulted his wife ‘Matiisetso Plangent by hitting her with a brick in Phaphama in Butha-Buthe on June 11, 2005.
Evidence before court indicated that Mlangeni organised a conspiracy murder against his father Lehlohonolo Mlangeni to rob him of M20 000.
It further indicated that it was arranged that the murder would be carried out by his co-accused Lehloesa together with one Rets’elisitsoe Motsiri who later turned crown witness and gave evidence in court as an accomplice in this matter.
The case was before Justice Thamsanqa Nomncongo and the accused were represented by Advocates Khotso Mohau and Khosi Lesuthu while the crown was represented by Advocates Motsie Tlali and Tsebiso Fuma.
Meanwhile the Maseru Magistrate court sentenced a 38-year-old from Ha-Hoohlo to five years imprisonment for housebreaking.
Ts’eliso Makhalanyane will not have an option to pay a fine.
However, two years of the sentence were suspended for two years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence.
Makhalanyane, who was employed at Hippo Knitting in the Maseru Industrial area, broke into the factory and stole clothes on Friday last week. — Lena.
