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…for?conspiracyTing?Assassination of witnesses
Morosi Zian
On May 14, 2023, two men were charged with the murder of radio personality Ralikonelo Joki, and now they are accused of conspiring to kill a key witness in the case.
The main accused, Moabi Sesioana, and his co-accused, Sootho Liphoto, have been detained at the Maseru Central Correctional Facility since June last year, accused of conspiring to kill Teboho Kumi, a witness in two murder cases.
In addition to the murder of Mr Jockey, the two were also charged with the murder of a parliamentary committeesThe coordinator, Mothibe Mothibe, and his companion, Thomello Ntsane. Mr. Kumi remains a witness to the incident.
They appeared before Maseru magistrate Mamorojele Qoo on Tuesday, who charged them with conspiracy to murder.
According to the new charges, the two men conspired with others to plot Mr. Kumi’s murder.
The indictment reads: “From the beginning of August 2023 till date, in or near LCS and other villages in Maseru, the accused conspired with others to carry out a course of acts in furtherance of a common purpose leading to the murder of Teboho Kumi, a witness in another murder case CR0393/23 and CR0394/24.”
After the charges were read out, the two applied for bail. Ceciona claimed he had never heard of Mr. Kumi, while Lipoto said his wife had suffered a stroke since he was jailed last July and needed bail to care for her and their children.
However, prosecutor Keketso Motiki opposed bail and asked the court to fix a date to state the objection. Magistrate Qoo remanded both defendants in custody until August 6, 2024.
Meanwhile, the two men, along with Mothusi Tlelase and Kamo Phakoe, have been charged with the murders of Mr Joki, Mr Mothibe and Ms Ntsane.
The four were arrested at the Maseru Bridge when they entered Lesotho from South Africa on June 21, 2023. They were detained by District Magistrate Peete Molapo on June 25, 2023 and have since been detained at the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) detention prison.
Last September, Judge Mabatšoeneng Hlaele ruled that Sesioana was a flight risk and refused bail. Sesioana applied to the High Court for bail of MMR1,000, claiming that his arrest was just a publicity stunt by the police, who allegedly told him that the case had attracted too much attention.
Ceciona argued that he had no involvement in the murders of Jockey and the other victims,?to buy?He only bought the gun used to kill after the crime was committed. However, the prosecution refuted his allegations and presented evidence that Ceciona was behind the murders of Mr Joki and Mr Motibe, as well as Ms Nsane, who was killed six days after Joki was killed.
Judge Hlaele rejected Sesioana’s bail application, saying he was a flight risk because he had failed to travel to Mafiteng to await trial, where he was also charged with?other?Murder in criminal case CR115/2021. She?explain?Meeting?have?No special circumstances were disclosed that might warrant the granting of bail.
Police also said Ceciona was involved in three other murders in South Africa.
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