Mohale Dam case: cop testifies

Maseru – A state witness this week testified in the High Court of Lesotho against 10 Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) members accused of the 2017 murder of three men whose bodies were found in the Mohale Dam.

In a case that captured national attention, Senior Inspector Letsielo Mabitle of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) testified before Judge Moroke Mokhesi, detailing the harrowing events surrounding the alleged unlawful detention and murder of civilians in 2017.

Lead by prosecution counsel Advocate Motene Rafoneke, Mabitle, head of the LMPS Disaster and Water Rescue Unit, recounted how the case unfolded.

The sequence of events began when two LDF officers were killed at the Maseru border post, triggering a series of retaliatory actions that allegedly led to the abduction, torture, and murder of civilians Lekhoele Noko, Molise Pakela, and Khothatso Makibinyane. Their bodies were later discovered in the Mohale Dam, weighed down with stones.

The victims had allegedly been abducted, strangled, and discarded in the Mohale Dam. Their deaths sparked widespread outrage and intensified scrutiny over accountability within the LDF.

According to Mabitle, Inspector Lebajoa, head of the LMPS Special Unit, informed him of the abduction and murder. Mabitle assembled a team of five rescue divers, security personnel, and investigators to locate the bodies. Upon arrival at the dam, they sought permission from the local village chief before proceeding.

Efforts to recover the bodies proved challenging, requiring multiple visits to the scene. Eventually, with assistance from the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS), divers located the corpses, which were still dressed with wallets intact, preserving their identities. The bodies were then handed over to an LMPS investigation team.

The 10 accused, all members of the LDF’s Military Intelligence division, face three counts of murder and three counts of unlawful detention under the Penal Code Act of 2010. They are: Rapele Mphaki; Pitso Ramoepana; Lekhooa Moepi; Mahlehle Moeletsi; Mahlomola Makhoali; Nthathakane Motanyane; Motšoane Machai; Liphapang Sefako; Nemase Faso; and Tieho Tikiso.

The first count relates to the murder of the three civilians, while the remaining counts pertain to their unlawful detention. Accused 1 and 2 face additional charges for their roles in the case.

The case traces back to April 18, 2017, when two LDF officers were shot at the Maseru border gate, leaving one dead and another hospitalised. A military intelligence team was tasked with investigating, while police detained suspects. Some suspects were released but were later re-arrested by military officers, including Captain Moeletsi and Warrant Officer Liphapang Sefako.

On the same day, Moepi, Sefako, and another officer were instructed to follow two suspects who had boarded a 4+1 taxi. The suspects were apprehended, and a bus carrying additional suspects was intercepted at Lekokoaneng in Berea. Warrant Officer Sefako forcibly removed a resisting suspect before the group was transported to Setibing, near the military base.

During the journey, Captain Moeletsi communicated by phone with an unknown individual referred to only as ‘Sir.’ The ‘Sir’ allegedly issued an order for the suspects to be executed. Moepi reportedly suggested suffocating them instead of using firearms to avoid detection. Despite his hesitation, Moeletsi and Sefako allegedly threatened him with death if he did not comply. The suspects were suffocated with plastic bags before their bodies were dumped in the Mohale Dam.

The following day, the officers involved were commended by their superiors and warned to remain silent about the incident. On September 22, 2017, a site visit was conducted with Moepi, other suspects, and investigators to identify the crime scenes at Setibing and Mohale Dam.

Days later, more suspects, including Warrant Officer Sefako and Motšoane Machai, were arrested by military police and charged with murder. Investigators collaborated with the Special Operations Unit (SOU), whose divers marked the exact location where the bodies had been dumped.

On September 29, 2017, Private Tieho Tikiso, a witness, provided a statement corroborating Moepi’s confession and helped identify critical locations linked to the case.

The 10 accused are represented by AdvocatesQhalehang Letsika, Letuka Molati, Napo Mafaesa and Karabo Mohau. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial continues.