Maseru, Feb 27– A dark cloud has been left hanging over the Principal Chief of Tebang, Chief Khoabane Mojela as on Tuesday, the court reserved his sentence to March 21 2024.
Chief Mojela has been found guilty of the murder of Tsenolo Letsie which occurred at Tsakholo in Mafeteng on May 18 2020.
Following addresses in extenuation, the court made a finding that a belief in witchcraft by the accused who was raised and lived in a rural setup where people have the same belief, could talk to the issue of extenuation. It stated that there must be a turmoil of emotions on the accused who believed that the deceased undermined chieftainship.
It indicated that it has also found that there is lack of planning on the part of the accused. It thus ruled that extenuating circumstances exist in the matter adding that it is therefore prompted not to hang the accused but impose another sentence.
When addressing the court in an attempt to try and reduce the blameworthiness of the accused, Defence Lawyer Advocate Jafta Thamae had stated that the accused is a normal human being who was motivated by his belief in witchcraft.
He emphasised that he felt threatened adding that he believed that he was going to be killed through witchcraft. He pointed out that he was impulsive when he shot the deceased.
