—insults Kamoli’s lawyer
Moorosi Tsiane
THE ongoing attempted murder trial of former army commander Tlali Kamoli and four other soldiers descended into drama when state witness, Major General Ramanka Mokaloba, insulted Kamoli’s lawyer.
This occurred on Thursday after Advocate (Adv) Letuka Molati suggested that former Alliance of Democrats (AD) leader, Monyane Moleleki, had shielded Maj-Gen Mokaloba from arrest after the latter?allegedly?plotted the failed murder of renowned businessman and Socialists Revolutionary (SR) leader, Teboho Mojapela, in 2012.
Maj-Gen Mokaloba is the seventh witness in the trial of Kamoli and four others charged with the 27 January 2014 bombings of former First Lady ‘Maesaiah Thabane’s Moshoeshoe II home and the Ha-Abia residence of then Police Commissioner Khothatso Tšooana.
In his evidence-in-chief, which he gave from Tuesday to Wednesday, Maj-Gen Mokaloba told the court that Kamoli ordered the shooting to intimidate then Prime Minister Tom Thabane into allowing the army to provide soldiers as his bodyguards. Mr Thabane was guarded by the police at the time after his fallout with Kamoli.
However, Adv Molati, representing Kamoli, alleged that Maj-Gen Mokaloba was the one who planned the attacks on both houses without the knowledge of the army commander, just as he had?“organised”?the attempted killing of Mr Mojapela in 2012.
“In January 2012, you organised the killing of Teboho Mojapela. You are also the one who organized the shooting at Liabiloe and Tšooana’s houses without the knowledge of the LDF command. You used one LDF officer, Khobotlo, to attack Mojapela and another soldier, Mosothoane, to attack Liabiloe and Tšooana’s homes. After Mojapela was shot, you were the first person to arrive at the scene,” said?Adv Molati, while Maj-Gen Matobakele denied?the?allegations.
Adv Molati further claimed that Mokaloba was arrested and detained after trying to kill Mr Mojapela but was freed due to the influence of Mr Moleleki, who was then Minister of Natural Resources under the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) government.
“You were arrested and detained after attempts to kill Mojapela, but you were freed by Moleleki’s influence. When you were to be arrested for the attacks at Liabiloe and Tšooana’s houses, there was also political interference, and you were not arrested,” said Adv Molati.
At this point, Maj-Gen Mokaloba lost his temper and attacked the lawyer.
“I am not a member of any political party, even if you go to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) you will not find my name registered to any political party. I am an officer of the LDF, and I am very disappointed if this is the calibre of lawyers we have. You are now deviating from my evidence and attacking my character. When you come at me like that,?u ntloaela hampe?(Sesotho saying regarded as an insult). I am not into politics, and I am not interested in those things, but you seem to be playing for the gallery and tarnishing my name and integrity. You should change your strategy.”
Adv Molati then requested a short adjournment and asked that all the lawyers see trial judge, Justice Charles Hungwe, in chambers to control the situation.
“I am going to ask the judge for a short adjournment, and after that, I will tell you why you had a fallout with the late Colonel Tefo Hashatsi,” submitted Adv Molati.
After a 10-minute adjournment, Adv Molati told Maj-Gen Mokaloba that he did not like the late Col Hashatsi because he had refused Mokaloba’s request to provide Mr??Moleleki with extra security post-2012 elections when Moleleki was the leader of the opposition in parliament.
“After Moleleki took the position of leader of the opposition in parliament following the 2012 elections, you arranged for two vehicles to provide him with extra security from the army. But Hashatsi disagreed with you, saying it was against the law. You hated him so much that after he was shot in the late (former army commander Khoantle) Motsomotso’s office, you obstructed his transport to the hospital, letting him bleed to death,” he said.
Adv Molati also asserted that it was a lie that Kamoli ever discussed bombing Liabiloe and Mr Tšooana’s places with Maj-Gen Mokaloba.
“Accused number one (Kamoli) is going to tell this court that he never had any conversation with you regarding the shooting at both Moshoeshoe II and Ha-Abia. No one else will come before the court to corroborate your evidence. Why did you not report such a matter to the Director of NSS, Director of Military Intelligence, LCS Intelligence Unit, Commissioner of Police, Police Intelligence, or the Security Council?” asked Adv Molati.
Maj-Gen Mokaloba responded that it was not safe for him because all those people were Kamoli’s juniors, except for the Security Council, of which he was a member, so he feared for his life.
The matter will continue on 19 August with Adv Molati continuing his cross-examination.
Kamoli is facing charges of attempted murder and malicious damage to property alongside Pitso Ramoepane, Litekanyo Nyakane, Mohlalefi Seitlheko, and Malefane Heqoa.