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July 19, 2018

3 min read

Mutungamiri family speaks out

Mutungamiri family speaks out

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POLOKO MOKHELE   MASERU (TMGLive) - The family of former Lesotho Times editor, Mr. Lloyd Mutungamiri, says it is gripped with fear and uncertainty as to what the future holds with regard to the case of their brother who was shot by the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) members in 2016. Mr. Mutungamiri was shot at his home in Upper Thamae, in Maseru, during the late hours of July 9, 2016 after his newspaper had published a satirical story about the then head of the military, Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli. When the shooting happened, he had just knocked off from work. He sustained severe facial, dental, and hand injuries, causing him to undergo extensive surgery in South Africa. His five suspected attackers, who are all military members, have appeared before court several times, but their trial has been postponed several times with no new date set. The five army officers are Brigadier Rapele Mphaki, 47, Khutlang Mochesane, 57, Mahanyane Phusumane ,37, Nyatso Tšoeunyane, 41, and Maribe Nathane, 35. “We wonder if the walk towards ensuring justice for our brother is going to be achieved within a reasonable timeframe as it appears to be threatened by some endless delays. “These delays have seen suspects appearing in court more than 20 times in a space of six months, but still with no trial date, which leaves us wondering whether indeed this is a justice or injustice system. “We understand that investigations by the police in the case were thorough and successfully finalised. However, we wait with heavy hearts to hear in court why the suspects decided to shoot our brother,” said the family spokesperson, George Mutungamiri on Monday. “We are also hoping that our brother, who is still suffering from the injuries he sustained from the shooting, will still be alive to hear the suspects explain how he wronged them and if at all what they did to him defines their understanding of what justice is all about, if at all he wronged them. “Our brother and his family are waiting for justice to help them pick up the pieces of what is left of their lives, and painfully move on. Each day, they wait, but with each passing day they also lose hope in the system they expected to understand what happened to them, the pain they are still going through and quickly help them to recover.” George added: “It breaks our hearts that our brother, the most intelligent in our family, and once our hope, now suffers like this. A man who once enjoyed his meat, now he can no longer chew it neither can he taste all the food he eats. “It still takes him courage to look himself in the mirror and for him to be in the public spaces. In the last two horrendous years, he has not been able to eat in public due to his weak jaw. Due to his poor sight, his love for reading and indeed his source of livelihood, which is editing, was painfully stolen from him. “As we continue watching events from afar, it is our sincere hope that the Lesotho government will help our brother and his family to get the justice they deserve. “We hope that, for the sake of humanity, the government will do everything in their power to oil the wheels of justice; in addition, to taking reasonable and practical actions that can help reduce the pain our brother is enduring and to help restore his traumatised family,” ended Mr. George.

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