Maseru __ The High Court through Justice Charles Hungwe has on Tuesday told lawyers in an ongoing trial against nine army members who are charged with the murder of Maaparankoe Mahao, to be objective and patient.

The court stated that cross-examination is an art adding that lawyers have different ways of doing it. It indicated that the defence may not like the manner in which the prosecution conducts cross-examination adding that the prosecution may not like the answers he gets. It  however emphasised that tempers should not be raised unnecessarily.

This was after  Advocate Lehlohonolo Phooko, a prosecutor who was conducting cross-examination on one of the accused, Captain Litekanyo Nyakane, asked for protection from one of the defence lawyers Adv. Qhalehang Letsika.

The prosecutor had asked for the protection after  the defence lawyer objected to his line of questioning.

Adv. Letsika had earlier, also raised an objection after Adv. Phooko told the witness that he does not like it when he explains his answers because he ends up being irrelevant  and not answering the questions.

The defence lawyer who was not satisfied with the manner in which the prosecutor was conducting his cross-examination insisted that the witness should be allowed to explain.

"The statements made against the witness are unfounded and uncalled for", he argued.

He pointed out that lawyers have to be courteous with witnesses  even when they do not like what they say.  He emphasised that the issue of relevance will be addressed during arguments.

The accused in this matter are alleged to have shot and killed the deceased at Ha Lekete in Mokema on June 25 2015.