MASERU - The First Lady, Dr ’Maesaiah Thabane and former Police Commissioner, Khothatso Tšooana, on Wednesday last week appeared before the High Court in a case they are expected to testify against retired army Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli who is charged together with four soldiers with 14 counts of attempted murder.
news
Nov. 11, 2019
OWN CORRESPONDENT
2 min read
First Lady, Tšooana in court for Kamoli
Lt Gen Tlali Kamoli
Also present in court were LDF’s Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Matela Matobakele and Major General Ramanka Mokaloba.
The case was set to proceed Wednesday and today Senior Counsel Shawn Abrahams, for the Crown, informed the court he was ready to proceed and has lined up 39 witnesses most of which were before court but regrettably lawyers who represent the third, fourth and fifth accused were not present.
SC Abrahams also explained that he had been informed by other defence lawyers that the two absent lawyers, King's Counsel Motiea Teele and Zwelakhe Mda were engaged in another court dealing with other cases they had already set for today.
He, therefore, informed the court that Crown has agreed with the defence that the hearing be postponed to April 01 to 08, 2020 and again on May 18 to 29, 2020, which the court granted as prayed.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Kamoli’s lawyer Advocate Letuka Molati informed the court that the two absent lawyers’ behavior is not deplorable as they have since written to the Registrar of the Court
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to formalize their appointment on pro-deo basis for their clients but the Registrar has to date not responded to their letters.
On the other hand, another defence lawyer Advocate Kabelo Letuka who represents the second accused, Major Pitso Ramoepana, explained that he is also ready to argue the case but asked that Crown should ensure that defence has a copy of Major General Mokaloba’s statement.
Before making the court’s order regarding the postponement of the case, Acting Judge Kabelo Lebotse expressed his disappointment over the absence of the two defence lawyers and added that he takes a dim view over their conduct as they knew a long time ago that the case was proceeding today but they chose to ignore it and attend another one without even making prior notice.
He, therefore, ordered that the case be postponed for hearing and that the Registrar of the court should immediately arrange for pro-deo fees for the accused soldiers’ lawyers who had threatened to withdraw their representation.
In this case, Lt Gen Kamoli is charged together with Major Pitso Ramoepana, Captain Litekanyo Nyakane, Staff Sergeant Malefane Heqoa as well as Corporal Mohlalefi Seitlheko for the bombings at Ha Abia and Moshoeshoe II on January 27, 2014.
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