News
‘Letsoepa ordered Khetheng killing’
MASERU – FORMER Police Commissioner, Molahlehi Letsoepa, allegedly ordered the 2016 gruesome murder of Police Constable Mokalekaale Khetheng, the High Court heard this week.
The stunning revelations were made by Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) Tšeliso Moerane, who was testifying as the prosecution’s witness in the trial of four police officers charged with PC Khetheng’s murder.
Letsoepa fled the country in 2017 after he was charged with PC Khetheng’s murder. The government has been trying to get him extradited from South Africa since then.
SACP Moerane said he was shocked to hear Letsoepa saying PC Khetheng should be arrested and killed.
“The Commissioner’s voice was very harsh when giving that order which gave me a shock,” he said.
He said Letsoepa gave the chilling order when he called him to report some fire incidents in Leribe and Butha-Buthe districts.
At that time SACP Moerane was the Northern Region Police Commander in charge of Berea, Leribe, Butha-Buthe and Mokhotlong.
He said in March 2016 he got a report that a guest house in Sebothoane had been burnt.
“I also got another report that even in Butha-Buthe there were two shops which were also burned down.”
SACP Moerane said he noticed that a U-Save supermarket and a small clothing shop had been burnt but investigations did not implicate anyone.
There were allegations that the fire at the U-Save building could have been caused by an electric fault, he said.
“It was also alleged that the building was in dispute.”
SACP Moerane said he reported the fire incidents to Letsoepa and told him that there were no suspects.
But he was surprised when Letsoepa became harsh and told him that he should find people who could arrest and kill PC Khetheng because he was behind those incidents.
SACP Moerane did not comply with the order.
He told the court that the later noticed Letsoepa on TV visiting the U-Save building in Butha-Buthe.
SACP Moerane said former SACP Mpota Nthako later called him to report to the police headquarters in Maseru.
SACP Nthako told him that he was being promoted to police Acting Senior Assistant Commissioner.
“I was stunned because I never expected any promotions, especially after what (had) just transpired between me and the commissioner.”
SACP Moerane said the officer who replaced him as Northern Region Police Commander later called to tell him that PC Khetheng’s parents were looking for their son at the Hlotse Police Station.
He then ordered the officer to do whatever it takes to find PC Khetheng.
He said Letsoepa’s response was surprising when he told him that PC Khetheng was missing.
“I told him what that person said and he only said ‘ok sir’.”
SACP Moerane said he was then later arrested for PC Khetheng’s murder by DCP Paseka Mokete.
He was interrogated and brought before Magistrate Moopisa for a confession the next day.
SACP Moerane also revealed that PC Khetheng had previously been arrested and charged for allegedly burning Letsoepa’s house in Mokhotlong.
PC Khetheng was charged and released on bail. He was later dismissed after a disciplinary hearing.
SACP Moerane said it was only “weeks or days” after PC Khetheng’s hearing that the fires in Butha-Buthe and Hlotse happened.
PC Khetheng was arrested by his colleagues at a traditiona
l feast in Sebothoane on 25 March, 2016.
He disappeared from the Hlotse Police but a senior police officer later told the court that he could have been abducted, implicating some police and soldiers.
His body was later exhumed at the Lepereng Cemetery in Maseru in August 2017.
’Malimpho Majoro
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