Out of the four members of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) who were charged with the murder of Police Constable Mokalekale    Khetheng, Inspector Haleokoe Taasoana and Inspector Mabitle Matona were on Monday acquitted by the High Court through Justice Charles Hungwe as this was the only charge against them and it was found that there is no evidence linking them to it.

Although one of their co-accused, Retired Superintendent Thabo Ts'ukulu was also acquitted of the murder, he was found guilty of an alternative charge to the murder which is an accessory after-the-fact. He was also found guilty of obstruction of justice, perjury, issuing superior orders to commit perjury as well as inducing perjury.

The only accused who was found guilty of all the charges against him, murder, obstruction of justice, perjury, attempted perjury and inducing perjury, which were similar to those of Ts'ukulu, is Retired Inspector Mothibeli Mofolo.

Khetheng died on March 26 2016 after he was taken in by the Hlotse Police. His body was later discovered dumped at Ha Setho in Ha Mokhalinyane and was buried with several unknown deceased persons during a mass burial that took place at Lepereng in December 2016 where it was exhumed in 2017 following police investigations.

The accused were initially charged together with Former Commissioner of Police Mr.  Molahlehi Letsoepa who reportedly fled the country but came back in 2025 and is currently on bail.

They were also charged together with the current Minister of Labour and Employment Mr. Ts'eliso Mokhosi who got the charges against him dropped.

The two remaining accused are expected back in court on September 15 2025 for the court to be addressed on mitigation and other pre-sentencing processes.

Image by Lesotho times