A trial for the murder of Police Constable (PC) Mokalekale Khetheng of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) has been postponed to June 30 after one of the defence lawyers, Advocate Zwelakhe Mda (KC), was reported ill and therefore absent from court on Tuesday.
Standing in for Advocate Mda was Advocate P. Molise, who informed the court of the former’s ill health.
Advocate Molise said he had further been instructed by Advocate Mda to inform the court that he had not been able to finalise drafting his heads of argument due to his illness. Consequently, Molise could not present them before Justice ’Maliepollo Makhetha when the judge requested them.
The case was therefore postponed to June 30, and the defence was instructed by the court to finalise and submit its heads of argument by June 22, ahead of the resumption of the matter for hearing on June 30.
The accused persons in the trial are Inspector Haleokoe Taasoana, Senior Inspector Mabitle Matona, retired Inspector Mothibeli Mofolo and retired Superintendent Thabo Tsukulu, all of whom were PC Khetheng’s colleagues in the LMPS.
They are standing trial for allegedly murdering him on March 26, 2016.
Khetheng was alleged to have burned down the Mokhotlong District Police Commander’s house and Pitso House in Leribe in 2016.
He was arrested on allegations of arson the same year but was never seen alive again. The police later claimed he had escaped from custody under sketchy circumstances.
His disappearance sparked national outrage and, in August 2017, his remains were exhumed from Lepereng Cemetery in Maseru, confirming that he had been secretly buried.
The four accused officers were initially charged alongside former Police Commissioner Molahlehi Letsoepa, who reportedly fled the country.
They were also charged together with the current Minister of Labour and Employment, Tšeliso Mokhosi, but the charges were eventually dropped against him
Summary
- A trial for the murder of Police Constable (PC) Mokalekale Khetheng of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) has been postponed to June 30 after one of the defence lawyers, Advocate Zwelakhe Mda (KC), was reported ill and therefore absent from court on Tuesday.
- Advocate Molise said he had further been instructed by Advocate Mda to inform the court that he had not been able to finalise drafting his heads of argument due to his illness.
- The case was therefore postponed to June 30, and the defence was instructed by the court to finalise and submit its heads of argument by June 22, ahead of the resumption of the matter for hearing on June 30.
