Justice finally catches up with killer soldiers, nine years later

Nine years after their loved ones were abducted, strangled and dumped into Mohale Dam, the families of three murdered men can finally begin to find closure, after the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) soldiers responsible were handed 20-year prison sentences this week.

Sergeant Lekhooa Moepi and Private Tieho Tikiso were sentenced without the option of a fine for the horrific 2017 murders of three suspected Famo musicians. The two were convicted last month, with Justice Charles Hungwe reserving sentencing pending a mitigation hearing on August 28.

They had faced four counts relating to the abduction, strangulation and dumping of civilians Likhoele Noko, Khothatso Makibinyane and Molise Pakela. Moepi was found guilty on two counts, the murder of Noko and his abduction, while Tikiso was convicted on all three murder charges.

Delivering the sentence on Monday, Justice Moroke Mokhesi, standing in for Justice Hungwe, sentenced Moepi to 20 years’ imprisonment for his role in Noko’s murder, plus an additional three years for abduction. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Moepi will serve 20 years in total.

Tikiso received a 20-year sentence for each of the three murders, also to run concurrently, meaning he too will serve a single 20-year term.

The High Court took into account that both men have been in custody since their arrest in 2017, having awaited trial for nine years. Justice Mokhesi ruled that this time already served counts toward their 20-year sentences, meaning Moepi and Tikiso will each serve roughly 11 more years behind bars.

The three victims, suspected of ties to Famo music gangs, were abducted, strangled and disposed of in Mohale Dam by members of the Military Intelligence (MI) unit, in an apparent act of retaliation. The killings followed a shooting at the Maseru border gate in which one soldier was killed and another wounded.

Investigations by police led to MI officers, prompting requests for their cooperation. On September 21, 2017, Military Police brought in Captain Mahlehle Moeletsi and Sergeant Moepi for questioning. The next day, Moepi was taken to the Maseru Magistrate’s Court, where he gave a confession detailing how the victims met their deaths.

While police pursued their own investigation, releasing some suspects and charging others, a separate group of soldiers was reportedly tasked with rearresting those the police had freed.

On April 18, 2017, Moepi and fellow soldiers were ordered to follow two suspects travelling in a taxi. They intercepted the vehicle and apprehended the men. The group was then directed to stop a bus carrying additional suspects. At Lekokoaneng, soldiers boarded the bus and forcibly removed a suspect who allegedly resisted arrest.

According to Moepi’s confession, the suspects were taken to Setibing, near the military base, where they were allegedly ordered to be executed. Moepi said he proposed suffocating the men rather than shooting them, to avoid drawing attention, but when he hesitated to carry this out, he was allegedly threatened with death if he refused to comply.

He described how plastic bags were used to suffocate the suspects, after which their bodies were weighted with stones and dumped in Mohale Dam.

Lekhetho Makhanya

I am a journalist based in Maseru, Lesotho, renowned for investigative reporting. Over the years, my work has been published both locally and internationally, including in South Africa through the Amabhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism and the Daily Maverick, among other publications.

In Lesotho, I have served as a senior reporter for several leading weekly newspapers, including the Lesotho Times, Public Eye, and Sunday Express. My reporting has focused on uncovering issues of public interest, promoting accountability, and giving voice to underreported stories.

In 2016, I co-founded the MNN Centre for Investigative Journalism in Maseru, an initiative dedicated to strengthening investigative journalism and fostering a culture of transparency and public-interest reporting in Lesotho.