The accused, Reli Letuka, has been found guilty of the murder of his three-year-old child, Lebohang Letuka, following a trial before the High Court Judge Tšeliso Mokoko.
The trial resumed this week with prosecutor, Thapelo Mokuku, representing the Crown and defence counsel Tšebeletso Motloli appearing on behalf of the accused.
Letuka, a 34-year-old resident of Khohlo-ntšo, Thaba-Tseka, was charged with the murder of his child on October 14, 2018. The court heard that the accused inflicted multiple stab wounds on the deceased, resulting in the child’s death.
It was suggested that the motive for the crime stemmed from the child’s persistent crying, which reportedly agitated the accused.
The prosecution called its first witness, ‘Mapheello Molube, a neighbour of the accused, who testified that she saw the child’s body lying in the garden on the morning of the incident.
Molube said she raised an alarm with a fellow neighbour, and members of the community confirmed that the child was deceased.
The second witness, Seephephe Mahao, the chief of the area, testified that he received a call informing him of the child’s death. Upon arriving at the scene, he found the child’s body discarded in a vegetable garden.
When Mahao inquired about the whereabouts of the accused, he learned that Letuka had been seen leaving the area. Mahao then instructed individuals in Ha Nkopane village to apprehend the accused. Letuka was detained at the airport runway and escorted back to the crime scene by the police.
The police learned from Letuka that the murder weapon was hidden on the roof of his house. He led them to the location and handed over the weapon. Both the accused and the deceased’s body were subsequently taken by police.
The prosecution also called Matthias Molumo, the accused’s uncle, who testified that the accused had initially claimed his younger child was missing. However, Molumo later received a call informing him that the child had been found dead.
Upon arriving at the scene, Molumo said he discovered that the child had suffered 21 stab wounds.
Judge Mokoko, in delivering the court’s findings, stated that the evidence, including the post-mortem report and the accused’s plea of guilt, overwhelmingly pointed to the accused’s guilt.
The post-mortem confirmed the nature of the injuries, and witness testimonies established the accused’s intent to kill. As a result, the court found Letuka guilty of murder.
During the mitigation phase, prosecutor Mokuku argued that while the crime was heinous, the court should consider the broader circumstances surrounding the accused’s actions.
He emphasised that while men are often likened to dogs, even a dog would not intentionally kill its offspring. He further pointed out that the absence of the accused’s wife in the testimonies suggested that Letuka was solely responsible for caring for his children while also tending to agricultural duties.
Mokuku proposed that the accused’s actions could have been influenced by a compromised mental state and recommended a psychiatric evaluation.
The court agreed with the prosecution’s submission and ordered a psychiatric assessment for Letuka, with the report expected within 14 days.
Judge Mokoko noted that the evaluation would assist in determining an appropriate sentence. The matter was adjourned to March 13, this year, for further proceedings.
Relebohile Makhetha is a court and crime reporter based in Maseru. She has been working at Newsday since 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Communication from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (2024) and a Diploma in Mass Communication from the National University of Lesotho (Institute of Extra-Mural Studies, 2018).
