Africa-Press – Lesotho. A soldier who is a witness in the Lieutenant General Maaparankoe Mahao murder trial, Corporal Mohale Posholi, told the High Court yesterday that he lied to the police during interrogation.
Corporal Posholi also told the judge, Justice Charles Hungwe, that the late Brigadier Bulane Sechele had saved Lt Gen Mahao’s life during an attack at his home in Koalabata in August 2014.
Corporal Posholi said he was a driver on the night of August 30, 2014 when the army under Lt Gen Tlali Kamoli attacked the police headquarters and other police stations.
The army also attacked Lt Gen Mahao’s home. He however stunned the court when he said most of what he had told the police during the interrogation were blatant lies.
He said he lied to the police because they asked him based on what they knew while he had a lot to tell. “I recall at the time they were interrogating me, they were referring to some documents that they wanted me to confirm,” Posholi said.
“I did not tell the police all the information because they did not ask me.
Posholi insisted that he never disclosed everything he knew to the police because it was “a bad thing for a soldier to report his work to the police”. He added that he also did not understand why he had been summoned as all that had happened had to be answered by his superiors and not him.
He said in August 2014, he together with Lance Corporal Mokete Halahala, Brigadier Bulane Sechele and Colonel Tefo Hashatsi went on an operation where they eventually attacked Lt Gen Mahao’s home.
He said he did not know anything about the mission but he was surprised by what he saw as he was only a driver on that day. Posholi said Lt Gen Mahao escaped death during the first attack at his home in Koalabata in August 2014 because Brig Sechele had protected him.
He said he drove Brig Sechele, Col Hashatsi and L/Cpl Halahala to Koalabata without him knowing the purpose of the trip. “But before leaving, I overheard Brigadier Sechele talking over the phone saying “You should hide in the toilet,”” he said.
Posholi said while on the way, he saw a police car coming from the direction they were going. “As it passed us, Brig Sechele and Col Hashatsi said I should chase it but I never (managed to reach) it,” he said.
Posholi told the court that he was also clueless as to why he had been summoned to testify. He said this while being cross-examined by Attorney Qhalehang Letsika.
He told the court that he did not know his position before the court as no one had briefed him about what was expected of him in court. All he knew was the report that he submitted to the police.
But he said he was never told that report would be used in court. He also said he did not even know if he was an accused person or a state witness. The court heard that he was only called last Sunday where he was informed that Advocate Shaun Abrahams wanted to meet him regarding a report that he made at the police station.
As he was about to meet him, he was interrupted by a visitor. The following day Advocate Abrahams gave him his statement and informed him that he should read it and feel comfortable to tell the court what had transpired in August 2014.
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