Hopolang Mokhopi
SOCIAL media influencer and businessman, Tšolo “Tjekatjeka” Thakeli, has been formally charged by the Berea Magistrate’s Court with inciting violence and disturbing public peace.
Tjekatjeka appeared before Magistrate Molemo Monethi on Thursday and was released on M600 bail.
According to the charge sheet, “…on the 15th of June 2025, near or at Teyateyaneng, the said accused did unlawfully and intentionally post a Facebook video that allegedly incited riots and disturbed the peace”.
His lawyer, Advocate Tembo Lesupi, pleaded for bail, stating that Tjekatjeka is a Mosotho man deeply rooted in the Teyateyaneng community. He has a family of three children and owns two businesses in the town, making him unlikely to abscond.
Magistrate Monethi granted bail but ordered Tjekatjeka not to interfere with police investigations or state witnesses. He is scheduled to return to court on 2 July 2025 for set-down.
“You must attend all remands and not obstruct police work,” Magistrate Monethi cautioned.
Tjekatjeka made headlines recently after he posted a video on Facebook questioning Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s pledge to create 62,000 jobs starting 1 July 2025.
In the video, he criticised the promise as unrealistic, citing the 2025/26 national budget’s failure to allocate funds for such a programme.
He slammed Mr Matekane’s administration for worsening youth unemployment, rampant corruption, rising electricity costs, and generally failing to deliver on its socio-economic promises.
He was arrested on 15 June 2025, a day after publishing the video.
Tjekatjeka was initially scheduled to appear in the Berea Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday but was returned to Maseru by police due to the absence of a formal directive from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Hlalefang Motinyane. He was released later that evening and greeted by a group of cheering youth and his wife, ‘Mankopane Thakeli, at Police Headquarters.
However, he was summoned back to Police Headquarters the next day and later taken to Berea Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, where he was officially charged. On Friday, police called him back again and reportedly cautioned him against making further remarks about Prime Minister Matekane.
The case has since attracted widespread attention and debate. The Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network (SouthernDefenders) has condemned what it describes as Tjekatjeka’s unlawful arrest and harassment.
The organisation described police actions as a blatant violation of his rights and a disturbing sign of growing state repression in Lesotho.