Staff Reporter

Thirty-six-year-old Motseki Mahloko, popularly known as Khofu in the Terene famo gang, was gunned down on Monday evening as he drove past Ha Matala traffic circle in Maseru in yet another killing to rock the country in recent weeks.

Mahloko was in the company of two people when he was shot dead by an unknown assailant, with police spokesperson, Clifford Molefe, confirming the tragedy but without mentioning the deceased by name.

“A man who was travelling in a van in the company of a woman and another man, was gunned down on Monday evening. Both people who were with him escaped unscathed. Investigations into the incident are in progress and so far, no one has been arrested in connection with the crime,” said Senior Inspector Molefe.

However, Detective Senior Inspector Motlatsi Mapola, who heads the Maseru Urban Serious Crime Unit (SCU), told the Sunday Express that the now-deceased was on his way from Queen ’Mamohato Memorial Hospital when he met his untimely death in Ha Matala. He had gone to collect one of the people he was with in the car from the hospital who was recently shot in relation to the turf war which has been raging between the Terene and Seakhi famo groups over recent years. The feuding over which of the two Mafeteng-based groups is superior, has claimed dozens of lives and left many injured over the years. Unfortunately, some of the victims of the violence had nothing to do with famo.

“The deceased was wanted by the South African police in connection with seven murders which took place in that country. He was the same person who was alleged to have killed Seakhi leader Daniel Rampipi, and was released under very questionable circumstances by the courts of law,” said Det Sen Insp Mapola.

Mr Rampipi, who was popularly known as ‘Ntate Madan’ or ‘Molimo oa ka Bolomo’, loosely meaning the ‘God of Bloemfontein’, was shot in broad daylight in Mafeteng in 2012.

Det Sen Insp Mapola, who is part of renewed efforts to facilitate peace talks between feuding famo musicians, said he hoped the killing of Khofu would not derail the initiative.

“We just pray that this killing and recent shooting of one ’Mantsoaki in South Africa, who is also prominent in the Seakhi circles, won’t derail the peace talks which are already at an advanced stage,” he said.

According to Det Sen Insp Mapola, in all the recent famo-related killings, the suspects were identified. “We are just working on the final touches before effecting arrests. The suspects are known and we are on their trail,” he said.

Det Sen Insp Mapola also said a suspect (name withheld) who fled to South Africa early this month, was arrested last Sunday and was due in court on 29 March in Rustenburg

“On his arrest, he was using his deceased brother’s name. The brother died last year, and when the police confronted him, he said he was not the person they were looking for. However, he was still taken into custody.”

Det Sen Insp Mapola further said their investigations had revealed that the suspect was helped to skip the country by three members of the Lesotho police aligned to the Seakhi group.

“We know the officers and we are on their trail,” he said.

Det Sen Insp Mapola, however, lamented the courts’ decision to grant bail to criminals.

“Some of these criminals  have killed so many people yet each time they appear before the courts, they are granted bail. And while on bail, they commit more crimes, which is very unfortunate,” he said.

Asked if he was aware some officers aligned themselves with these famo groups, Police Minister Monyane Moleleki said he knew and the issue was being looked into.

“We are fully aware that some of our officers have aligned themselves with these groups. That is why we are restructuring the Special Support Unit (SSU) and have already identified officers from the police and army who will undergo a six-week intensive training in a bid to end the killings and seize illegal firearms,” said Mr Moleleki.

“Our country’s border is porous and it is well-known that we don’t manufacture firearms but we have so many of them. We are going to make sure we seize these firearms through this Special Support Unit.”

Defense and National Security Minister Tšeliso Mokhosi also weighed in on the killings.

“We are well aware of allegations that some Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) members are aligned to these famo groups. But it is also very unfortunate to see our people politicizing these killings instead of tackling the real issue on the ground. This is an issue of national concern and should not be linked to any political party,” Mr Mokhosi said.

“If we keep on harboring these people under our different political umbrellas, we are worsening the situation. Whoever aligns himself or herself to these men and their gangs, is equally a criminal. These people should be arrested and made to pay for their sins. We are going to fight these criminal activities because we are tired of them,” Mr Mokhosi said.

Bishop Phakiso Motaung, who is president of rights group Voice of the Voiceless Association (VOVA) said the killings and granting of bail by the courts had become cause for concern.

“We still have the death penalty in Lesotho and we stand by it. Criminals who kill other people should be given harsh penalties in order to deter them from committing crimes again. If they kill someone, they should also be killed,” Bishop Motaung said.

“The sentences given by the courts are usually too lenient and these felons do as they wish because they know they have a right to bail. This bail does not serve justice to the aggrieved.”

Bishop Motaung also called for a truth and reconciliation platform for the different parties to meet and the aggrieved families to heal and find closure.

Asked for his expert opinion on bail, Advocate Tumisang Mosotho said it is a right but could be denied when necessary.

“In a case where the culprit needs protection from people who might want revenge, if it’s feared that the suspect might abscond, or interfere with witnesses, bail can be denied,” said Adv Mosotho.

According to Adv Mosotho, the main problem in Lesotho is the justice system itself.

“In most cases, you find that one person may be granted bail on several occasions because he or she is arrested by different police officers and taken to court before a different prosecutor, who would not have  information about the suspect’s previous court records.

“If records were kept in a way that data could just be punched into the system and retrieved, then most of these people wouldn’t be granted bail.”