Seabata Mahao
Police Deputy Spokesperson Sub-Inspector ‘Mareabetsoe Mofoka reported that a club situated at the Khubetsoana-Mabote intersection, Club Ether is one of the violators of the set government safety protocols in the fight against the global Covid-19 pandemic. This she said after two of its staffers had been arrested for the said violations where one Maine Setho was found guilty by the Magistrate’s Court for selling alcoholic beverages and operating the club at full capacity regardless of the set protocols. He was sentenced to one-month imprisonment or a fine of M2 000 which he duly paid and had his alcohol which had been confiscated returned to him.
On the other hand, a 23-year-old man working at the same club is in police custody after being arrested on Sunday evening for operating the club fully in spite of laws prohibiting such. He will appear in court as soon as investigations have been completed. Police therefore urge Basotho to continue to observe set safety protocols in the fight against the pandemic in order to help flatten the curve for the spread of the virus.
In other news, Limpho Nkopotse aged 23 years from Maputsoe who lives at Ha-Tsolo, Sekake Rethabile, 27, from Lekokoaneng who lives at Ha-Ratjomose both of whom are textile workers, Montšo Rapitse aged 51, who lives at Sekameneng and works at Maseru City Council (MCC) along with Lekake Ramosie aged 52 from Lithabaneng and a Zimbabwean national named Christopher Chakuno aged 43 who lives at Ha-Leqele appeared before the magistrate on July 2021 on charges of theft. They were each granted a bail of M900 which they paid.
Police reports indicate that on July 3rd 2021 there was a theft of 78 boxes of sewing thread at Nien Hsin factory in Ha Thetsane Maseru. It is said that the boxes were loaded onto an MCC garbage truck to be unloaded somewhere in Maseru so they can sell the sewing threads.
Still in Maseru, there has been a theft of toners at the office of Senior Procurement Officer of the Ministry of Small Business and Marketing. Reports state that recently it was discovered that the toners are missing yet there were no signs of forced entry on the storage door. Police arrested four suspects in relation to the theft, hence a woman aged 33 years who lives at Ha-Seoli, a man aged 34 years who lives at Ha-Pita who works at the ministry and a woman aged 41 years who lives at Naleli and a man aged 47 who lives at Masowe 1 were arrested after four tonners from them. They will appear in court when all investigations have been completed.
In Butha-Bothe, a man aged 32 Masilo Gama who lives at Kao appeared before the magistrate on July 22nd 2021 on charges of murdering a woman aged 33 from Ha-Porenki. He is still in custody and will appear again before the magistrate once the investigations are completed.
Police reports indicate that on July 11th 2021 the victim was from Lihloahleng in the same area along with other people then they separated when they get to Ha-Raporenki but she was found dead on the road around Ha-Porenki. Further report states that the cause of death is that the victim ended the relationship they had with the suspect but the suspect did not want it to end so he murdered the victim instead.
The police received 15 claims of stock theft last week and one suspect was arrested. Additionally 49 cows, 14 horses, 1 donkey, 70 sheep, 21 goats and 1 pig of which the police retrieved 32 cows, 5 horses, 2 donkeys, 25 sheep and 8 goats. Also the police found 31 cows, 5 horses, 7 donkeys, 25 sheep and 3 goats as well as 5 cows stolen from South Africa have not been claimed.