Maseru, Feb.26—- Some of the accused charged with the murder of Rats’iu Halahala of Futhong who was in May 2020 killed by villagers for theft, have denied taking part in the assault of the deceased which led to his death.
Evidence presented before court has revealed that the deceased and Kananelo Weto confessed to stealing two 50 kilograms of maize meal and two 5 Litres of cooking oil at Koeneng Combined School. It further revealed that the deceased was assaulted by the villagers and died on the same day.
In his evidence, one of the accused, Phethang Weto aged 38 years stated that he was given a rope by the area chief to tie the deceased after he and a group of villagers brought him to his place. He pointed out that the deceased was tied in order to prevent him from fleeing as he was a suspect in the theft that had occurred.
He indicated that as they were accompanying the deceased and Kananelo Weto, who was also a suspect, to a place where Kananelo said they kept the stolen items, one of the villagers suggested that the deceased should be made to tell the truth as he insisted that he knew nothing about what he was accused of.
The accused told the court that the villagers started to assault the deceased until he admitted that he stole the items. He added that even Kananelo was assaulted as they continued with the journey to retrieve the items.
He said as they went back to the chief’s place with the suspects and the stolen items, he realised that the deceased could no longer walk or hold the items as he was made to carry some of them. He indicated that he left with the group that was with Kananelo adding that when the group that was with the deceased finally arrived at the chief’s place, the deceased showed signs of fatigue until it was later discovered that he died.
The accused denied taking part in assaulting the deceased. He informed the court that he was one of the people who were arrested by the Mapoteng Police following the incident. He however indicated that he was never remanded adding that his first court appearance was before the high court where the trial is proceeding.
Another accused, Khothalang Halahala aged 25 years, told the court that the deceased was his uncle. He indicated that he was shocked and surprised to be one of the people charged with his murder. He emphasised that he never assaulted the deceased.
He indicated that the part he played on the day the deceased died was to go to the chief’s place where Kananelo and Rats’iu were tied. He further indicated that the chief sent him to Ha Mokhachane with a letter which he had to present to the chief there and bring back a stolen generator. He said the chief at Ha Mokhachane told him to go back as a person who was mentioned in the letter left the village six years ago.
He testified that following his return to the chief’s place, he heard noise coming from Mapolateng. He indicated that it was the group that was with the deceased adding that he was told that the one that was with Kananelo had taken a different route to the chief’s place.
The accused stated that he followed the group that was with Kananelo and when they got to the chief’s place, the one that was with the deceased had not arrived. He said he and Lebohang Majoro were instructed to go look for them. He stated that they found them along the way arguing about who should carry the deceased as he could not walk. He added that four men carried him to the chief’s place where he was placed on the ground.
He said he was surprised to later learn that the deceased had died as he was still alive when he left the chief’s place. He only admitted to participating in the assault on Kananelo, not on the deceased.
The case is before Justice ‘Mafelile Ralebese.
Ends/SM/BM
