Maseru, Dec.08— The prosecution in a case in which Former Commander of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli and four army members are accused of the bombings that occurred in 2014 has on Monday continued to present expert evidence in the matter.
After leading a Forensic Scientist Mr. Mofo Setloboko who was in 2014 working in the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Forensic Laboratory, the prosecution led its 28th witness who is an expert in explosives from the South African Police Service (SAPS) Colonel Dijwe.
The witness told the court that in January 2014 he and his colleague attended three crime scenes, two at Moshoeshoe II at the house of Liabiloe Ramoholi and her neighbour’s house together with one at Ha Abia at the home of the then Commissioner of Police Khothatso Tsooana. He pointed out that the aim was to assist their counterparts with scene explosion investigation.
He testified that on all the three scenes, he collected fragments of a high explosive device adding that they were similar. He stated that he then went to the LMPS Forensic Lab to identify a partially exploded device which was recovered at one of the crime scenes.
The witness indicated that the device was unstable and dangerous as it had already fired and could surprise, therefore needed to be destroyed. He said he took the device outside Lesotho and destroyed it on transit at Botshabelo in South Africa at a blasting range.
” The fragments recovered after the destruction were similar to those recovered at the three houses that were investigated”, he informed the court.
He pointed out that this confirmed that RD 40 millimeters HE 848 rounds were used at all the crime scenes. He said the weapon is classified under military explosives not commercial explosives.
Mr. Setloboko who had testified before Colonel Dijwe had in his evidence pointed out that following the examination and analysis of fragments he collected from the scenes, he came to a conclusion that the extract contained a compound called plasticizer. He said, when added to an explosive mixture, the compound acts as a catalyst, thus ensuring that there is maximum heat and pressure, resulting in a powerful reaction.
He testified that the type of plasticizer is used in explosive mixtures such as Royal Demolition eXplosive (RDX) and High Melting Explosive (HMX) which are military grade. He added that they are types of ammunition of hand-held grenade launchers.
Kamoli is in this case charged together with Pitso Ramoepane, Litekanyo Nyakane, Mohlalefi Seitlheko and Heqoa Malefane. The charges they are facing comprise attempted murder and malicious damage to property.
The alleged offences occurred at the home of Liabiloe Ramoholi at Moshoeshoe II and that of Former Commissioner of Police ( COMPOL) Khothatso Tsooana at Ha Abia.
The case is before Justice Charles Hungwe.
Ends/SM/BM
