Maseru — The family of Khetheng will on Tuesday next week, after a long wait, see justice being served when the High Court sentences a police officer found guilty of the murder of their son Police Constable Mokalekale Khetheng and another found to have participatedin events surrounding the murder.
Retired Inspector Mothibeli Mofolo (58) was last month found guilty of all the charges against him comprising murder, obstruction of justice, perjury, attempted perjury and inducing perjury.
His co-accused Retired Superintendent Thabo Ts’ukulu (60), although acquitted on the murder charge, was found guilty of an alternative charge to the murderwhich is an accessory after-the-fact. He was also found guilty of obstruction of justice, perjury, issuing superior orders to commit perjury as well as inducing perjury.
Their co-accused Inspector Haleokoe Taasoana and Inspector Mabitle Matona were acquitted as they were only charged with murder, and it was found that there is no evidence linking them to the offence.
Like any other family which has suffered loss through murder, the Khetheng family has seemingly been closely watching the events surrounding the case and hoping for a just decision and closure.
They did not only watch, but took action, when necessary, just like when bail proceedings against Former Commissioner of Police Molahlehi Letsoepa, one of the accused in the matter who had however absconded in 2017 and came back in 2025, did not go to their satisfaction.
After the petitioner was granted bail by the High Court, theyapproached the Court of Appeal and challenged the decision.
They complained that the proceedings before the High Court happened in chambers adding that they were not involved although they had direct and substantial interest in the matter.
They questioned the legalityof the proceedings that took place in chambers.The Court of Appeal ruled in their favour by reviewing and setting aside the order of the High Court admitting Letsoepa to bail.
It declared the proceedings a nullity and remitted the case to the High Court to consider the bail application afresh and in open court according to norm.This was not the first time the family was seen fighting for justice.
Following the disappearance of their son, they moved a habeas corpus application before the High Court and Khetheng was eventually found, although dead, suspects arrested, accused prosecuted and now the case reaching its finality.
Khetheng died on March 26 2016 after he was taken in by the Hlotse Police. His body was later discovered dumped at Ha Setho in Ha Mokhalinyane and was buried with several unknown deceased persons during a mass burial that took place at Lepereng in December 2016 where it was exhumed in 2017 following police investigations.
A judge presiding over the case Justice Charles Hungwe has after delivering a judgment in this case stated, “given the findings on the role of the persons not before court, in particular, the then Commissioner of Police named in te indictment and senior officers whose conduct the evidence has drawn into question, I direct that a copy of this judgment be referred to the Commissioner of Police for consideration of any further such steps he may consider warranted”.
Initially the accused were also charged together with the current Minister of Labour and Employment Mr. Ts’eliso Mokhosi who got the charges against him dropped.
The prosecution is represented by Advocate Nthabiseng Nkoe while the defence is represented by Adv. Zwelakhe Mda (KC) and Kaarabo Mohau (KC).
Ends/SM
