Famo gangster convicted for killing soldier

MASERU – A FAMO gangster, Motlatsi Rantaoana, who fatally shot a soldier and injured another at the Maseru Border Post in 2017 has been convicted.

He will be sentenced in the High Court next Wednesday.

The court found Rantaoana guilty of fatally shooting Private Katleho Seliane of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF).

Rantaoana was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Private Nkonyane.

He was also found guilty of being in possession of a firearm illegally.

The shooting of the two soldiers sparked a reprisal attack by soldiers. Ten soldiers are being charged with strangling three men and throwing their bodies in Mohale Dam.

They accused the three of being part of the gang that shot Privates Seliane and Nkonyane.

In her judgment, Justice ’Mafelile Ralebese said Rantaoana intentionally shot the two soldiers as he was willing and eager to kill anybody who would come in his way.

She said from the confession Rantaoana made, he was from the funeral of a member of his gang who had been shot dead.

She said Rantaoana was illegally in possession of a gun with intention to kill any opposing gang member who might appear in his way.

“This shows that the accused had an intention to kill any person as the gun was already cocked and ready to kill,” Justice Ralebese said.

She said even though Rantaoana said he was not aware that the two people were members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), he could have used some other means rather than to shoot.

Rantaoana told the court that had he known that the people who wanted to speak to him were soldiers, he could have surrendered and talked to them.

Through his lawyer, Advocate Lehlohonolo Maseli, Rantaoana said he did not know that the people who attacked him were soldiers as they did not introduce themselves to him.

The court heard that during their arrival at the border post, the famo gangsters were attacked by two men dressed in private clothes who wanted their guns.

But they were hesitant to hand them over to them.

Rantaoana said he quarrelled with the soldiers until they physically fought one another.

Later, he backed off and joined his gang but the two men tailed him.

“They seemed very angry and wanted to fight. I feared they were from the Seakhi group,” the court heard.

Faced with a turbulent and volatile situation, Rantaoana said he shot Private Seliane twice on the neck adding he was acting in self-defence.

However, Justice Ralebese reasoned in her judgement that Rantaoana could have at least shot in the air to give the two men a warning that they were in danger.

“You could have told the men that you would shoot to see their reaction,” she said, adding that the convicted would have alternatively shot in the air or listened to his peers as they were telling him to let go of the man.

Justice Ralebese said the court could not believe that he had acted in self-defence as the men he shot were not armed.

She said the convicted had an intention to kill the two people because he was still ‘mad’ after burying one of his own.

Justice Ralebese said the court believed that Rantaoana shot the soldiers in fear as he thought they were members of a rival gang.

“The court accepts that the accused was under the impression that he was being attacked by a Famo gangster hence he decided to shoot,” she said.

She said that act does not justify the fact that he shot with the intention to kill.

“Shooting a person twice on the neck shows that he wanted to kill the person,” she said.

“Therefore the court finds you guilty of murdering Pvt Seliane,” she said.

She said Rantaoana descended on Pvt Halekethe Nkonyane with bullets after fatally shooting Pvt Seliane.

Pvt Nkonyane sustained gun shots on the chest.

“The court still finds you guilty of attempted murder and being in possession of an unlawful firearm,” she said.

Regarding the street vendor who was also fatally shot, Justice Ralebese said the court could not believe that it was Rantaoana who killed him.

She said the crown failed to provide enough evidence that would incriminate Rantaoana.

So the court found the accused not guilty in this murder and was acquitted from the charge.

’Malimpho Majoro