After sitting for two weeks hearing the treason trial against two politicians, former army commander and some army members, the High Court is yet to sit again on June 17 2024 and proceed with the Mohale Dam Murder Trial before another judge.

The accused in this matter are ten members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) who are accused of killing Lekhoele Noko, Khothatso Makibinyane and Molise Pakela at Setibing and dumping their bodies into the Mohale Dam in May 2017.

The bodies of the deceased were allegedly later retrieved from the Mohale Dam.    The accused are also facing charges such as conspiracy to murder, unlawful detention and issuing superior orders to unlawful detention as well as to kill.  

The court is in this case expected to continue to hear evidence from the defence in a trial within trial as the prosecution has closed its case. The defence has already led evidence from the first accused in the matter Brigadier Rapele Mphaki. When the case was previously postponed, evidence was being led from another accused Captain Mahlehle Moeletsi.

The trial within trial is intended to assist the court to establish admissibility of evidence that the admissions, confessions and pointing out made by the accused in the matter were free and voluntary.     

This is after the defence alleged that the accused were tortured by the police during investigation of the case. They added that they were forced into making the confessions, admissions and pointing out.     

Evidence before court has indicated that, following their arrest, the accused admitted to kidnapping and killing the deceased in the matter. It is stated that they voluntarily directed and took the police to Setibing where they committed the offences which they are charged with.       

It is added that they also took them to Ha Mohale where they pointed out a spot where they dumped the bodies of the deceased. The case is before Justice Moroke Mokhesi.