Four soldiers batter Qacha’s Nek woman to death

MASERU – The High Court yesterday heard gory details of how four soldiers allegedly used a spade to batter a Qacha’s Nek woman to death in 2016.

The accused soldiers are Corporal Motsieloa, Private Koloti, Private Moeti and Private Choachoa.

The four are being charged with the murder of ’Mamoleboheng Besele (nee Puseletso Pelesa) in Lebakeng on February 28, 2016.

Crown witness Detective Constable ’Muso Semethe told Justice ’Mafelile Ralebese that Besele’s body had bruises on her buttocks and thighs.

Constable Semethe said he was accompanied by Constable Seema when he went to investigate a report that soldiers deployed at Lebakeng had assaulted and killed a woman in Lebakeng’s Ha-Molomo village.

“I undressed and inspected the body to check if there were any visible injuries,” he said.

“On the buttocks and back of the thighs were bruises and sort of blisters, and that is all I observed from the deceased’s body.”

Constable Semethe said they interviewed two witnesses before taking the body to the mortuary. The two witnesses are expected to testify in the trial.

He said his evidence was submitted to the prosecution “but there was no arrest made regarding the matter as it should have happened in normal circumstances”.

“I do not know as to why the accused were never arrested,” Constable Semethe told the court.

Defence lawyer Advocate Letuka Molati asked Constable Semethe if he was aware of Besele’s serious head injury caused by her husband.

Advocate Molati also said one of the accused soldiers had requested Besele’s medical records after they were charged but the crown refused to hand them over.

The soldiers were first charged in September 2019, three years after they allegedly committed the murder.

The crown alleges that they used a spade and whips to beat Besele to death.

Besele had allegedly insulted her aunt who she accused of secretly receiving meat from her husband.

The aunt, ’Mamongali Mongali, reported her to the village chief, Chieftainess ‘Mamoliehi Motloang, who summoned Besele.

When Belele said she had not insulted Mongali, Chieftainess Motloang instructed the village policing group to take her to a nearby army camp.

Mongali told the police that soldiers interrogated Besele but she continued to deny insulting her.

She said the soldiers then beat her with sticks, a spade and whips. Besele died soon after leaving the army camp.

It took the DPP three years to bring the soldiers to court and a further three for the trial to start.

The case was postponed to Monday next week after some witnesses in Qacha’s Nek failed to travel to Maseru because a river in their village was flooded.

Advocate Thulo Hoeane represented the crown while Advocates Molati, Advocate Motloli and Attorney Tšokolo Makhethe appeared for the defence.

Tholoana Lesenya