MOKHOTLONG –– A 32-year-old man, Paseka Rats´oane, surrendered himself to the police on Tuesday after he allegedly shot a man he suspected of killing his father.
According to the police Rats´oane, from Linakaneng in Mokhotlong, shot Mokoto Sephelanga in the right thigh at close range.
Sephelanga was rushed to Mokhotlong hospital.
He is in a stable condition.
“Paseka Rats´oane arrived at Mokhotlong and surrendered himself to the police after he allegedly shot one of the men he suspected to have killed his father,” Inspector Mapesela Klaas said.
He said a case of attempted murder had been opened against Paseka.
Inspector Klaas said Paseka was disturbed by the violent death of his 60-year-old father, Teboho Rats’oane, last March.
The elder Rats’oane was murdered in a suspected family dispute.
Three men, including the deceased’s brother, Ts´epang Rats´oane, were arrested in connection with the murder.
Ts´epang is accused of hiring two assassins, Phelaphe Boi, 49, and Lebohang Masimole, 39, to kill Rats’oane.
The police suspected the dispute centred on the inheritance of his taxi.
The three are out on bail.
According to the police, Boi and Masimole were promised M4 000 each for killing Rats’oane.
“The deceased (Paseka’s father) was asthmatic. His head was found about 100 metres from his body being eaten by dogs after two days,” Inspector Klaas said.
He said no organs had been removed from the body ruling out fears that it was a ritual murder.
Relatives who spoke to the Sunday Express said Paseka had never been the same after his father’s death.
They said he was bent on exacting revenge despite some village elders trying to counsel him against the move.
Inspector Klaas said the police had since March held two public meetings in Linakaneng to help “calm down temperatures”.
“Revenge is no solution as it does not build good relations but can create chaos. People should take their grievances to the police and the courts so that their disputes can be resolved by competent bodies,” Inspector Klaas said.
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