’Mantoetse Maama
MASERU — A suspected serial house-breaker was killed in Qoaling last Thursday.
The man, believed to be about 45 years old, was found in possession of 40 house keys of different makes and sizes, a torch and an iron rod with a sharp end.
Qoaling area chief’s assistant, Thabang Matsoso, told the Sunday Express that the man was caught in the act of trying to force-open a door at a house early on Thursday.
When the villagers tried to “arrest” him the man became violent.
Matsoso said the villagers then raised alarm.
“I was told that the suspect was found at one of the villagers’ home where he was going to steal. The villagers tried to arrest the suspect but he resisted,” Matsoso said.
“He tried to flee but as he was crossing the road he was hit by a vehicle and the villagers managed to catch him,” he said.
“The villagers told me that the suspect was very violent.”
Matsoso said the man even stabbed and hit one of the villagers who were trying arrest him an iron rod.
“Villagers said they had never seen him before but the case is now in the hands of the police who will find his relatives,” he said.
He said they never got to ask him where he stayed as he died before he they could talk to him.
Matsoso said they were calling on more men in Qoaling to join the crime prevention committees.
He said they needed more people to fight crime in their village as there are more cases of people who are breaking into people’s homes and local supermarkets.
“If we have more men joining the crime prevention committee we can be able to fight crime in our village,” he said.
Matsoso’s rendition of events is however in sharp contrast to the police who said the man died following an assault by villagers.
The police’s report said the man’s body was found with whip marks all over.
He was also found with open wounds above his right ear.
“It is suspected that the deceased was beaten by villagers after they caught him breaking into one of the villagers’ home,” police statement said.
The man was found wearing a blue pair of trousers, brown sleeved short outer garment, white pair of running shoes, grey sports shorts and red underwear.
The police said the man’s body can be identified at the Lesotho Funeral Society mortuary in Maseru.
