Africa-Press – Lesotho. Morathi Mosola, the Second Accused in the murder trial of businessman Tšeliso Manyeli still doesn’t have a lawyer – causing the postponement of the case yet again.
On Monday the court was told that Mosola would be represented by Advocate Nqhae, she was called but indicated she was no longer representing the accused with Advocate Karabo Mohau having taken over the case. Advocate Mohau was similarly called but he denied his involvement in the case, adding that he knew nothing about the case.
This morning when proceedings commenced Advocate Mohau was nowhere to present, with the court told that he is busy with engagements in the high profile cases in which members of the Lesotho Defence Force are facing multiple charges that include murder.
Mohau will reportedly be busy until the end of March. Presiding judge, Justice Semapo Peete gave the accused a third chance to look for a lawyer to replace Advocate Mohau – who it apparently emerged was a legal representative chosen by the accused’s aunt Likeleli Mosola.
The judge, in the alternative, ordered for the accused to present himself in court this afternoon, to be provided a pro bono lawyer to enable proceedings to begin on Wednesday at 2:00pm.
Mosola was told that a lawyer doesn’t have to be his friend or known to him to represent him ‘Government will provide a lawyer for him by 12 noon tommorow,’ Justice Peete said, ‘and that should be it.
. no more postponements.
47-years-old Thakane Lerotholi of Ha Teko in Maseru is the First Accused in the matter, and is believed to be the mastermind behind the murder of her business partner; the Third Accused is Thabo Macheli, who has since fled.
According to the police it is suspected that on June 5, 2020, after 10:00pm Manyeli had just arrived at his St Michael’s home when while waiting for the garage door to open, three men appeared and shot at him multiple times before fleeing from the scene. He was rushed to a hospital at Ha Thetsane where he was confirmed dead from the gunshot wounds.
While Mosola and Macheli are suspected hired hands, Lerotholi and the deceased were business partners whose working relationship soured when the suspect complained that Manyeli treated her like an employee and that she no longer received the benefits befitting an owner. Lerotholi then hired the hitmen to kill him, according to reports.
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