Maseru, Jan.15—- Advocate Letuka Molati, one of the defence lawyers in a case in which nine members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) together with Retired Army Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli are charged with the murder of Maaparankoe Mahao says an order to suppress mutiny in 2015 came from the then Major General Khoantle Mots’omots’o not Kamoli.
This he said when questioning Captain Litekanyo Nyakane following his evidence in chief as the first defence witness in the matter after an application for discharge failed.
Adv. Molati stated that when the operation started, the army was under the control of Mots’omots’o adding that Kamoli was not the army commander at that time. He added that when the deceased was going to be arrested Kamoli was a few days back in office.
He indicated that upon his return to work, Kamoli told officers that he would not interfere with the operation which was started by Mots’omots’o adding that Mots’omots’o would continue with the operation to finality. He further added that the address was made publicly and the office of Public Affairs recorded it.
Adv. Molati indicated that in 2015 and 2016, affidavits from the army in cases relating to arrested and detained soldiers were signed by Mots’omots’o as he had full knowledge of the issues.
The accused 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 comprising attempted murder and malicious damage to property.
The case continues before Justice Charles Hungwe
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