Sello Morake
MASERU — A personal secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, ‘Mamokhothu Moahloli, appeared in the Maseru magistrate’s court on Wednesday charged with common assault.
Moahloli is being accused of assaulting a colleague, ‘Makhotso Makaba, on July 2 at the ministry’s head office in Maseru.
A human resources manager at the ministry, Ts’epo Thokoane, told the court that a staff meeting had been called to resolve a dispute involving Makaba and one ‘Masamuele Ramaokane.
The meeting had been called by the director of the ministry, Dr ‘Marosi Molomo.
Makaba and Ramaokane had earlier on complained over the conduct of the accused to senior management.
“’Dr Molomo asked ‘Makhotso and ‘Masamuele to express their grievances against ‘Mamokhothu.
“He then asked Moahloli for her response but she opted not to say a word,” said Thokoane..
“‘On being asked why she was not responding, Mamokhothu said she was not going to say anything in the presence of her juniors.
“She then suggested the director call heads of departments so she could give her side of the story.”
Thokoane said the meeting had to be cancelled as Moahloli continued with her defiance.
According to Thokoane, while everyone was leaving the director’s office, Moahloli contemptuously remarked “‘Matekatse a tla a mpokanela” (bitches ganged up against me).
“On hearing this, Makhotso turned around and stormed back into the director’s office. I then heard Makhotso protesting that Moahloli had spit into her face and insulted her.
“That’s when they went for each other. Makhotso was holding her shoe and trying to block Moahloli’s blows.
“I tried desperately to separate them,” he said.
Ramaokane told the court that she had a very bad working relationship with the accused.
She said she had at one time asked for a transfer to another department.
Defence counsel Advocate Thato Kholoane, in her submission said it was amazing the first witness, Thokoane, had not seen the saliva on the face of the complainant.
Kholoane also said an organisation’s code of conduct was not law and her client was correct in not responding to the accusations levelled against her.
Comments are closed.