Maseru, Jan.13 — Captain Litekanyo Nyakane, one of the members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) charged together with Retired Army Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli for the murder of Maaparankoe mahao, says there was nothing wrong with an operation order issued in 2015 for arrest of planned mutiny suspects.
This he said in his evidence as the first defence witness after the court dismissed an application for discharge and directed that the accused enter their defence.
“The operation order which we saw here in court had sufficient paragraphs which an operation order should have”, he said adding that there were paragraphs on situation, mission, execution, service support and commands signal.
He stated that there was no need for those selected to assist the late Captain Tefo Hashatsi to suppress mutiny to see the operation order. He added that the soldiers were not in a position to query it even if they saw it.
He said Hashatsi had told a group of soldiers which he had selected to assist him, which he was part of, that there were some officers and soldiers who were planning mutiny therefore he was directed to be responsible for their arrest so that they could be brought before the Court Martial.
Captain Nyakane testified that Hashatsi was not the operational commander adding that if the operation order was available when he was addressing the group of soldiers, he would appear in it because he was tasked with the operation. He emphaised that Hashatsi did not need the operation order when he addressed the soldiers. He said what he needed was to give them written or verbal instructions as he did.
The operation order which the accused is referring to in his evidence was said to be invalid by the current Army Commander, Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela when he testified in the same matter in July 2025.
The Army Commander stated that the document dated May 13 2015 has some shortfalls. He emphasised that it does not comply with the LDF Military Service Writing Conventions. He added that phraseology and terminology used, make it impossible for him to know who the author of the document is. He further added that there seems to be a duplication of level of authority.
He indicated that his observation as per the operation order, is that the operators were given limits to use minimum forces whenever necessary. He added that use of firearms was only restricted as a last resort. He further added that there were measures of safety for all operators for their own safety and minimisation of risk.
The Commander also indicated that there were cautions of life casualties with the ultimate aim to arrest. He however said he failed to understand what happened at the scene where Mahao was shot.
The accused in this matter are alleged to have shot and killed the deceased on June 25 2015 at Ha Lekete in Mokema. They are facing several other charges in relation to this matter.
The case continues before Justice Charles Hungwe
Ends/SM
