Maseru, Feb. 11—-Advocate Sello Ts’abeha who is representing two army members charged with the murder of Lisebo Tang, which occurred near the home of Retired Army Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli in 2014, says an appropriate charge for the accused is culpable homicide.
This he said during his closing submissions before the High Court adding that the accused were negligent during the shooting. He denied that they had intention to kill.
He argued that the accused exercised some caution when firing. He said they opted for double tap shooting, not automatic. He indicated that they shot at the vehicle in order to disable it, adding that as soon as it stopped, they stopped shooting.
“They thought this was the enemy and it turned out that they were wrong”, the defence lawyer said.
Sergeant Tjekane Sebolai and Private Selone Ratsiu who were on May 09 2014 on a night duty at the residence of Kamoli are alleged to have shot and killed Lisebo Tang who was in the company of Tsépo Jane who survived the shooting with injuries. It is further alleged that they also damaged the vehicle in which Tang and Jane were travelling in.
Evidence presented before the court revealed that the accused shot at the vehicle in which Jane and Tang were travelling in as it matched a description of the vehicle mentioned in the Red Alert. The accused were reportedly warned that there was a white 4×4 vehicle going about dropping bombs. They were further warned that the police were planning to attempt to arrest the then army commander.
The evidence further revealed that Jane and Tang ignored warnings and instructions from the accused to step out of the vehicle and identify themselves.
The evidence showed that the accused considered the vehicle a threat due to the manner in which it conducted itself around the home of the army commander and their work vicinity. It added that they were following the order: “capture the enemy, if it resists or flees, eliminate it”, when they shot at the vehicle.
The accused were initially charged together with Private Kopano Matsoso who was in 2020 acquitted after the court ruled that he did not have a case to answer as there was no evidence linking him to the offences charged.
Apart from murder, the accused are also standing trial for attempted murder and malicious damage to property.
The Court is expected to deliver its judgment on May 11 2026 and the accused have been warned to continue to observe their bail conditions.
The case is before Chief Justice Sakoane Sakoane.
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