Maseru, Jan.12— Captain Litekanyo Nyakane has on Monday taken a stand as the first accused to enter the defence in a case in which nine members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) including Former Army Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli, are charged with the murder of Maaparankoe Mahao.
He testified that in 2015, he and other soldiers appeared before the late Captain Tefo Hashatsi at Ratjomose Barracks in the Military Intelligence office. He stated that when he addressed them, Captain Hashatsi said there were some officers and soldiers within the army who were planning mutiny. He said he added that the plan was to kill some officers and soldiers whom they thought would disrupt their plan.
The accused pointed out that he told them that the late Major General Khoantle Motsomotso who was at that time the army commander had issued an order that the planned mutiny be suppressed and that the suspects be arrested and brought before the Court Martial. He added that Hashatsi stated that he was ordered to be responsible for the suppression of the mutiny adding that as a result, he selected those he was addressing to assist him with the task.
He stated that Hashatsi reminded them how the army operates when faced with that type of situation. He added that he warned them that they were going to arrest their colleagues therefore they should remember the rules of engagement. He said the rules included that he would be the one to introduce himself prior to an arrest as he was the leader of the team. He added that there must be use of minimum force further adding that the use of firearms would be a last resort and that only aimed shots would be fired in order to avoid unnecessary casualties.
Captain Nyakane further testified that Hashatsi also reminded them that the suspects were soldiers like them therefore they should be careful of their own safety. He said he told them that they were going to use normal equipment which is termed ‘ First line scale equipment’ in military language as they were not going to war. He added that he also informed them that they were going to use normal vehicles used on a daily basis which are referred to as ‘soft-skin vehicles’ in military language.
He emphasized that the order to suppress mutiny was lawful.
” We had to execute the order as we did. If we were told to assist someone who was tasked with the suppression of mutiny, the order was lawful”, he said.
He informed the court that the arrests of the suspectes started on that same day.
It is alleged that the accused shot and killed Mahao on June 25 2015 at Ha Lekete in Mokema. They are alleged to have also committed other offences including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, malicious damage to property and theft.
The case is before Justice Charles Hungwe.
Ends/SM/BM
