…for?plotting?to assassinate witness
Moorosi Tsiane
TWO men charged with the 14 May 2023 murder of radio personality, Ralikonelo Joki, have now been slapped with another charge of conspiring to kill a key witness in the case.
The lead suspect, Moabi Sesioana, and his co-accused Sootho Liphoto, who have been in custody at Maseru Central Correction Institute since June last year, are accused of plotting the murder of Teboho Kumi, a witness in their two murder trials.
Besides Mr Joki’s murder, the two also stand accused of murdering the parliament committees?coordinator Mothibe Mothibe and his companion, Thomello Ntsane. Mr Kumi is still a witness in this matter.
They appeared before Maseru Magistrate Mamorojele Qoo on Tuesday who conferred them with the conspiracy to commit murder charge.
According to the new chargesheet, the duo acted in concert and with a common purpose with other individuals to plot to kill Mr Kumi.
“From the beginning of August 2023 to date, at or near LCS and other villages in Maseru, the accused, acting in concert and in furtherance of a common purpose, agreed with other persons to pursue a course of conduct that would lead to the murder of Teboho Kumi, a witness in their other murder case, CR0393/23 and CR0394/24,” part of the chargesheet reads.
After the charges were read, the duo applied for bail. Sesioana claimed he never heard of Mr Kumi, while Liphoto stated that his wife suffered from a stroke since his incarceration in July last year, therefore needed to be freed to take care of her and their child.
However, prosecutor Advocate Keketso Motiki opposed the bail and requested the court set a date to present their reasons for opposition. Magistrate Qoo remanded the two accused to 6 August 2024.
Meanwhile, the duo was charged alongside Mothusi Tlelase and Kamo Phakoe for the murders of Messrs Joki and Mothibe, as well as Ms Ntsane.
The quartet was arrested on 21 June 2023 at Maseru Bridge while entering Lesotho from South Africa. They have since been incarcerated in the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) remand prison after Resident Magistrate Peete Molapo remanded them in custody on 25 June 2023.
Sesioana was denied bail in September last year by Justice Mabatšoeneng Hlaele, who ruled that he was a flight risk. Sesioana had petitioned the High Court for a M1000 bail, claiming his arrest was a publicity stunt by the police, who allegedly informed him that the case was drawing too much attention.
Sesioana argued that he was not involved in the murders of Joki and the other victims,?claiming?he only bought the guns used in the killings after the crimes had been committed. However, the Crown refuted his claims, presenting evidence that Sesioana was the mastermind behind the murders of Messrs Joki and Mothibe, and Ms Ntsane. The latter two were killed six days after Joki.
Justice Hlaele dismissed Sesioana’s bail application, labelling him a flight risk due to his failure to attend remands in Mafeteng where he also stands accused of?another?murder in criminal case CR115/2021. She?said?Sesioana?had?failed to disclose any exceptional circumstances that might warrant granting him bail.
The police had also argued that Sesioana had three other pending murder cases in South Africa.