Staff Writer
THE family of Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Sub-Inspector Mokheseng Ramahloko will next Saturday hold a memorial event to commemorate the three-year anniversary since his 30 August 2014 fatal shooting during a predawn Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) raid of Police Headquarters.
The memorial event, which will start off at Police Headquarters and end with a procession to Sub-Insp Ramahloko’s Qoaling home, will be held in conjunction with the LMPS.
Sub-Inspector Ramahloko was killed during the army raid which the military said was a special operation to foil a LMPS plan to give civilians firearms for use during a Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) street protest scheduled for 1 September 2014.
The army also raided Maseru Central Police Station and Mabote Police Station on the same day in what Prime Minister Thomas Thabane later said was an attempted coup.
Police spokesperson, Inspector Mpiti Mopeli, yesterday confirmed the event, saying the Ramahloko family was taking the lead in organising it, including determining the attendees.
Sub-Inspector Ramahloko’s brother, Mosito Ramahloko, yesterday told the Sunday Express that the event was supposed to be held on Wednesday, which would be three years to the day he was killed.
Mr Ramahloko, however, said they opted for Saturday “since it is more convenient and everyone can participate”.
He said they had invited former premier Pakalitha Mosisili, his erstwhile deputy Mothetjoa Metsing, former LDF commander Tlali Kamoli and Director of Military Intelligence Colonel Tumo Lekhooa.
“We have invited them because when we were laying our brother to rest, Dr Thabane and (Basotho National Party leader Thesele) ‘Maseribane were with us,” he said.
“Thabane was holding the coffin on one side while ‘Maseribane was on the other side. We don’t know where Kamoli was, where Metsing was and where Mosisili was. So this time around, we hope they will be around and tell us what really happened.”
Mr Ramahloko said he was hoping that allegations by the LDF that the LMPS intended to arm civilians to attack LCD supporters would be tested in court
“We don’t understand their story. If that story was true, the alleged perpetrators should have been tried in a court of law. But up to today, nothing has been done.
“How could they disarm the police, claiming they intended to arm criminals, and not charge them for such a serious crime? The story should be proven in the courts of law. Otherwise, my brother was killed for nothing.”
Mr Ramahloko said they had also invited government officials and members of the Lesotho Police Staff Association, adding that everyone was invited regardless of political affiliation.