’Marafaele Mohloboli
MXXL radio presenter Ralikonelo Joki, was on Wednesday dragged to court for allegedly insulting Magistrate ’Makopano Rantšo.
Popularly known as Leqhashasha, Mr Joki was arrested on Tuesday at a roadblock in Ha-Mabote, Maseru. The police officers manning the roadblock then ordered him to join the queue for an immediate court sitting in the mobile court which was at the roadblock.
Mr Joki and other motorists then started making noise outside the mobile court thereby disrupting an ongoing court session. This prompted Ms Rantšo to reprimand the motorists. However, this earned her insults from Mr Joki.
He allegedly said: Ha ke buisoe joalo ke basali uena! ‘Na mosali enoa ha ke mo tšabe (loosely translated to mean “Women don’t speak to me like that. I’m not afraid of this woman”) in reference to Ms Rantšo.
Ms Rantšo gave him a suspended sentence for the traffic offences but dragged him to court for his statements.
Mr Joki was then arrested and spent the night in police custody. He appeared before Magistrate Qobolo Senekale yesterday.
According to the charge sheet, the 41-year-old Mr Joki was charged for contravening Section 90 of the Penal Code Act of 2010 which stipulates that, “A person who makes or publishes any statement which he or she knows or has reasonable grounds to suspect is untrue and is calculated to any judicial officer or court into disrepute commits an offence”.
Police spokesperson, Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli, yesterday said Mr Joki was charged for failing to produce his driver’s licence at a roadblock and exceeding the number of passengers in his vehicle in contravention of Covid-19 regulations.
“He did not have his licence on him and had more than three passengers on board which is against the Covid-19 Regulations.
“While awaiting his turn to go into the mobile court, he and other people in the queue with him were making some noise and thus disturbing the magistrate who had come out to tell them lower their voices when Mr Joki retaliated,” Supt Mopeli said.
He was remanded out of custody on M1000 bail and ordered to report to the police headquarters in Maseru every Friday until the matter is settled. He was also ordered not to interfere with witnesses.