‘Let justice be done first’
MAFETENG — Families that lost their loved ones in deadly famo gang wars say they will not be satisfied until the killers have been arrested and punished.
The families told a meeting called by the government on Monday that their wounds are still fresh and only a crackdown against the killers will satisfy them.
They urged the government to arrest and prosecute the murderers “to ensure that similar crimes are not repeated”.
The meeting was called by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Molobeli Soulo, Deputy Minister for Local Government Selibe Mochoboroane and Social Development Minister ’Matebatso Doti.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss what could be done to compensate and comfort families that lost their loved ones in the clashes between the Terene and Seakhi famo groups since 2009.
’Mamoeketsi Moliko, the wife of popular radio presenter Thabang Moliko who was killed on March 29 this year for his alleged links to Terene, said all she wants is justice to be done.
Moliko’s sentiments were shared by ’Matseli Seutloali from Likoung in Mafeteng, whose son Tumelo Seutloali was shot nine times in Bloemfontein on June 23 for being a Terene artiste and ’Mamokete Sekoai whose two sons Mokete and Motsamai Sekoai were shot and killed in 2009.
’Mareitumetse Monyane, 24, from Ha-Monyane in Mafeteng, also wants the law to take its course following the murder of her husband Mahase Monyane.
Monyane was shot several times in 2010.
Speaking to the Lesotho Times at the meeting during a break Moliko said although she appreciated the government’s decision to reconcile the warring camps and reach out to the widows and orphans of the victims “it’s just not enough”.
“I will not be satisfied until the law has taken its course regarding my husband’s murderers,” Moliko said.
“I will never be happy as long as government’s stance is that we forgive the people who planned my husband’s death and not ensuring that they pay for what they did.”
She said the government should ensure that famo murder cases already in court are speeded up and for “harsh sentences to be issued”.
“Our courts of law should deal with them as soon as possible and sentences issued should be harsh so that the killers know what it’s like to be in pain,” Moliko said.
“For the killers who are still in South Africa, our government should work together (with South Africa) so that they are extradited back to Lesotho to face the music.”
Moliko added she fears that if the killers are not brought to book “it will set a bad precedence and teach others that it’s okay to kill”.
“A murderer takes another person’s life, thus depriving them of their right to live, only to be given bail while you mourn the loss of your loved one,” Moliko lamented.
“Court cases also drag for months if not years, thus giving the killers the freedom to roam the streets.”
Moliko also recommended that there be a commission of inquiry set up by the Lesotho government “where the killers will all confess”.
“It will also enable us to have a clear picture of how many people were killed from each camp and establish what really led to the senseless killings,” Moliko said.
She says she is looking after her three sons aged 16, 11 and three.
“I’m a very bitter woman right now. My heart has been bleeding since the day he died. He catered for his children’s needs but I can’t do it alone,” Moliko said.
Moliko also scoffed at the idea that a fund to look after the widows and orphans of victims will be set up using moneys generated from concerts organised by the Terene and Seakhi groups.
“How can government promise us monies from concerts of which we’re not guaranteed will even materialise?” Moliko asked.
“Just because we’re poor and vulnerable, the expectation is that we should accept any offer that’s put on the table. We need something sustainable, set up by government,” she said.
’Matšeli Seutloali, who is also still reeling from her 25-year-old son’s murder, said she knew of threats by Seakhi members to kill her son.
“My son was an artiste for Terene and in November 2011 before he died he told me that there were Seakhi (Letlama) members who were threatening to kill him,” Seutloali said.
Seutloali said the wounds in her heart are still fresh and that she sometimes wishes she could die “so that I can see my son again”.
She said what frightens her is that her other son is also at risk of being killed in Bloemfontein where he lives.
“He refuses to come back saying that if Letlama want to kill him, they can do it wherever he is. The thought of losing him too scares me so much,” she said.
Sekoai said it still feels surreal almost three years after losing her sons “because it’s as though they are not yet gone”.
She said although she is sure the police have an idea who killed her sons there has been no official word.
“I haven’t heard anything from the police since they were killed. About four witnesses said they saw people shooting at my boys,” Sekoai says.
“I’m convinced the police know who they are and I will only rest when they are arrested and sentenced.”
Unlike Moliko, Sekoai said she was grateful that at least Prime Minister Thomas Thabane seemed committed to helping where he can.
“I’m glad they have thought of us because nothing has been done since my children were killed in 2009. At least this government is showing compassion,” Sekoai said.
“I just worry so much when I can’t provide for their orphaned children who look to me for their daily bread. My sons were the sole breadwinners and supported us totally.”
The eyes of Tšokolo Matsapa, who said he is in his late eighties and originates from Ha-Lesia, brimmed with tears as he narrated in a shaky voice how his son Thabang Matsapa was killed on his way from a funeral in the area.
“The person who killed my son came to the village carrying two guns and took my son’s life. He did what he came there to do and walked away. He’s still alive,” Matsapa said.
“They have taken away my son and I have no one to provide for me.”
The killer’s family should also go through similar pain, Matsapa said.
“If my family cries for Thabang to date, the killer’s family should cry too.”
Thabang was killed in 2010.
’Mareitumetse Monyane, whose husband Mahase was gunned down before her eyes near a local shearing shed in Ha-Monyane, said she will not rest until the killers are arrested.
“I cannot rest until the day I’m told those two men I saw shooting my husband are arrested and punished,” Monyane said.
For three months after Mahase, a Terene supporter, was killed life was a blur to Monyane as she could not fathom anything that was going on around her.
“For three months I was on medication from the psychiatric ward at Mafeteng Hospital. I fainted the minute he was shot and was in and out of consciousness for days,” Monyane said.
“The trauma was so intense that I only came to on the Monday after his burial, to find myself dressed in black mourning clothes.
“My husband’s killers don’t deserve to be roaming the streets”, she said.
Monyane added that since the horrendous ordeal “I shiver when I see men dressed in black clothes”.
Mahase’s murderers wore black clothes.
Comment by NARE on 27 September 2012:
Basotho, it’s high time we debated the death penalty. people go on killing others knowing fully well that our laws are lenient when it comes to murderers
Comment by Ntate Poho on 27 September 2012:
No to “blanket amnesty”. Lihlopha tseno tsa Makauteng ha li theheloe komisi, li ipolele melato ea tsona, batho ba tle ba tsebe ho leballana lits’ta tsa bona. Litaba tse ling li amana le ho qheketsoa hoa libanka. They had nothing to do with famo music quarrels.
Comment by thala boliba on 27 September 2012:
Biased reporting, was this gathering only for Terene affiliates. This newspaper is out only once a week. please balance the reports.
Comment by Kolo on 27 September 2012:
@Thala boliba phuthehong eno ea malapa ke bone ba terene feela. ba seakhi eka ke hona ho tla kopanoa le bona hoba ba bang ba lahlehetsoeng ba phela afrika borwa koana joaloka Mahlanya mohlala ea lahlehetsoeng ke maloma’e ntoeng tsena tse soto
@Poho ho hlokahala komisi kea tlatsa hee ho thata makaota joale ha e fihla malapeng ke mehau feela ke lumela komisi e ka thusetsa. ea sesona ke eleletsoe e mong le emong ea ngolang mona o nahana oa e tseba, komisi ke eona e ka hlahisang sesosa ho tsoeloepele ka bophelo
Comment by Oa Matsieng Mosoang on 27 September 2012:
Bakae ba Matlama / Seakhi, lene lere batho ba terene ke bona ba bolai, buang horena bafu ba terene ba jooe keng? le ske la inkela liqeto eaka lona hale molato molato ke oa terene feela, lintoa ha li fele hle makaota, re palame terene re betse seakhi ka thata re holise cabinet
Comment by keikemetse on 27 September 2012:
ho batho bana ba lahlehetsoeng kere talimang Jesu sefapanong,mo feng lipelo tsa lona ele kannete eena o tla le etsetsa tsohle.Ho molimo mohlolohali kapa khutsana ha li eo.
hopolang thapelo ea ntata rona ea maholimong-Ure tsaorele melato ea rona joalokaha le rona re tsoarela ba re sitetsoeng
Comment by ke ikemetse on 27 September 2012:
terene le seakhi hore ebe ba lumetse holula fatse ba tsoarana ka matsoho ha se ntho feela basotho ha renkeng ketso eno ele kopo ea tsoarelano hleng basotho hare tloheleng ho supana ka matsoho re tsoleleng pele.
Me Mamoliko joaloka morapeli tlohella ho lla ngoaneso inkele Jesu feela o mpe ofe molimo sebaka o tla o hlolela SORRY TO U ALL GUYS
Comment by Motseka-papa on 27 September 2012:
Like I said last week, I say this again. Unless the perpetrators are brought to book, smoking of a peace pipe will never be a simple affair.
Comment by Lintle on 27 September 2012:
Le buile Makaota le ha le ka thola,re batla toka pele then re tla buoa ka tswarelano ka morao.
Comment by mahlanya! on 27 September 2012:
Wena Kolo le terene yeo yahau,utla shoa otla esia ke u joetse u rata ho kena daba tsa bine flaa usa tsebe letho ka mmino.Ntata lona yeo wa mokhachane wa mafahla letla mochabela,u mamele Phephetso ya Letono no6 utla utlow ditaba.
Comment by Ysabel Kid on 27 September 2012:
Litaba tsa Mafeteng li kopakane haholo, ke makhulo, meeli, ‘mino hape le taba tsa litotomeng. Mafu a mang e kanna eaba ke a litotoma koana, batho ba itsekela mobu oa ‘maene, ‘me ka hona mapolesa a tsoare baetsi ba liketso tseo.
Comment by Kolo on 27 September 2012:
@mahlanya sheba mona oena moshanyana ka thetana ea banana ke itse haeba o batla chakela mo late tlohela ho itlatlarietsa mona o chaeletsa ka letono. itatele ena hoba letono le chakela e letse ho lokisoa khotso oena kaha o molingoana oa ntoa leba tlohela ho re hloliea. nthoempe ea hao o romeletsa ka banna ba bang itatele chakela monna hlee kapa o thole
Comment by Kolo on 27 September 2012:
@Mosoang tlohelang puo tse tjena tse hlohleletsang hantle balateli le joang!
Comment by leqele on 28 September 2012:
Motho ea ntseng a re elale oa itshoenya le se le njelletse boholo,bina Mats’oao,,,ea nyokholohang ke hobane a hopotse khaitseli ea malomae
Comment by Kolo on 28 September 2012:
@leqele o bolela hore lekase oa itsoenya?
Comment by leqele on 28 September 2012:
@kolo,,,,ehlile ho shebahala joalo hoba ha ho letho le ka patalang hloho tsa bana ba batho ba bolailoeng ka sehloho ra senyetsoa ‘mino
Comment by motaung on 29 September 2012:
Khotso Basotho baheso ba mafeteng hare utloelaneng bohloko ba shoetsoe ke baratuoa ba bona khotso,pula,nala basotho hare tloheleng likobisano re bine ‘mino o monate oa fomo.ha se betsoe seakhi!! ha e tlale
terene!! ka botle libapali
Comment by Khoto Nkhorohele on 30 September 2012:
Its a waste of time nd a biased decision taken by diz gvmnt, why did they bring the alleged chakela of murders in de cuntry? May be sm1 on top ua ameha
Comment by Seakhi on 1 October 2012:
Empty arguments…!!! Khotso ke ntho e ntle ea hlokahala ebile khotso e kolla leratong….!! le ka bua ka ho fana ka khotso joang le sena eona…? potso ena e ile ea botsoa motho a sitoa ho e araba, e mong o sa ipitsitse ‘muso, Lekase a ba khoroheloa..!!! butleng ba hesong ka ho hlohlelletsa le ho paka lintho le sa li tsebe, ke itse banna ha fapanyetsane mantsoe joaloka basali haholo mona marang-rang. Fela ha re shebelleng re tle re bone na hona ha se a typical animal farm way of doing things…!!!! Who were actually supposed to be called for kopano ee? Mona he re rokoa mahloana naketsena..!!!! Ke ile kara ‘HERO’S WELCOME” was the worst thing e neng e ka etsetsoa batho bana ba heso, a mang mathisa le bashemane ba teng ba mpheisa khang, balang taba tsena ka hloko le tle le utloisise leqeba la pelo…!! Suppose e mong oa bana ba hlabiloeng ke tsenene ea lefu e ne le letoala le ratang toala haholo ‘me joale ho ilo latoa mmelaelloa oa mmolai oa ntata’e kapa ngoanabo, re nahana o ne a ka etsang? Taba tsena tsa haeso ha li batle ho atameloa se polokiti ho hang rather the gov undivided should address the issue…!!!!
Comment by Kolo on 2 October 2012:
@Seakhi “rather the gov undivided should address the issue…” kgoromente e etsa sona seno hantle empa feela hona le batho ba sa rateng khotso ea batho bana hobane ba phela ka lintoa tsa bona joale ha khotso ele teng sheleng tsa bona tsa mali li tlo ba nyamella. batho bano ntoeng ha ba ikise feela ba tseba ho hlohleletsa ba eme thoko ba letsetsa libini haholo tsa matlama ba atlehile le ho li qabanya ka bo tsona, batho bana ba ipitsa batseheli ba mino ba bonahala ha bonolo ka hore khotso ekeke ea ba teng makaoteng. ha ba bue feela maboteng mona ehlile ba sebetsa ka thata hore khotso e nyope ka mafeteng. morero oa bona o moholo haa joale ke ho qabanya lekase+letono le mahlanya+sebotsa+sephetho+matsoao+selai
Comment by Sekoeletana on 2 October 2012:
Khotso eona e ka ba teng,feela li supporter ke tsona tse tlo e luka. He hoba basotho re bokoali ka lihlohong.ho hlohlolletsa ke hoa rona. Ha rebeng le khotso hleng.
Comment by Seakhi on 2 October 2012:
@ Kolo oa heso motho, it could be the word divided is a pregnant term or was wrongly used, but hare ke re talime morao, Chakela o latuoe ke ABC, Lekase ke LCD. BNP re ka reng ka eona? ke karolo ea ‘muso oa rona le eona akere? O bone na ABC e ne e phuthehile ka bongata bo bokae ha ho ilo latoa Chakela? Na the same magnitude re e bone ha ho latoa Lekase? What could be ur stand moo? Suppose u had no interest or whatsoever tabeng tsena, how would you interprete such a nature of incidence? We should bare in mind hore such incidences were publicised, and were available for anybody having access to them. Ke eng e sitileng muso oa rona le uena hore ka makala a bona a amehang eg Ministry of defene….Police probably home affairs, e be o nts’a delegates to attend this issue rather than parties themselves attending to thier members as if we are not being governed? ka holim’a moo ha ke fumane na hero’s welcome eona e ne e bolelang, batho ba ntse ba lla tjena re ba utloa, Ha ke hane hore ntate Soulo could be a delegate from defence….police ministry but rona sechaba re tsebile e le li member tsa li party tse neng li amohela batho ba tsona! Ba qabanyang bona o ba tlohelle hoba ke hlokometse hore ka nako e ngoe re etsa khang le bashemane so taba tsa moshemane ha nke ke li nkele hlohong ke rata ho bua litaba le batho ba tsebang khomo ha e palesitse le ha emere! l still say those who are guilty regardless of the group must be dealt with accordingly, if ba koalloa let it be, if ba ts’oarelana le ba sitetsoeng it would also be awesome thing.. but the root of the problem must be addressed and very objectively!!!
Comment by Kolo on 3 October 2012:
@seakhi ha se betsoe ka matla banna ba TH rona Kolo libataolong re palame ka thata. ena ea kamohelo ea bona seka bahale o tsoere taba ehlile kea e bona joale, haho hlokahale hore ebe ba entsoe bahale empa ba kolota mafu a bana ba batho. sepolesa le sesole se e kene le ha hole joalo ebile morero ke ho tsoara li-concert tsa libini bente ea sesole e le teng. feela seakhi monna why le tloheletse bokoeta boo ba ja setsi empa le utloahala le botsuoe tjee ka hanong, achee banna kannete le malibabe hobane batho bana lea ba tseba oena hee ebile oa utloahala hore o pela bona hantle!
khotso e ate makaoteng
Comment by Seakhi on 3 October 2012:
@ Kolo, ea bomalimabe ke utloa e ntlhotlhonts’a litsebe oeso! Leha ho le joalo taba tsa banna bana ba heso tse ling rea li tseba tse re utloa fela ha ho ntse ho buuoa, ha a eo motho ea ka tlohellang batho ha ba ntse ba rinyana joalo ea nang le kelello, haeba haeno ke Kolo ‘me o ka khona ho batla litaba senna, o k’u botse banna ba kang bo Marofa ha ke tsebe lebitso la hae hantle hore na ha Ramots’eoa a tla mo hatisetse CD eane ea pele kantle le ho sebetsa le Selomo e be o tla tloha o ilo lula ha thetsena molato e ne e le eng. Taba tsa batho bano li ngata hoo motho a ke keng a li lokisa ka tsela e le ngoe ea katamelo, tse ling ha li hloke le gov to interven coz ke ntho tsa bothaka, tse ling ke tsa banneng! bohloko joale li tsekeloa ka pela metse kamona, nna ke ntse kere tse ling tsa taba tsa batho bano li hloka banna ba thaba hobane re tlontlollotsoe hampe ke ba bang ba batho bana. Ka lehlakoreng le leng haholo ha re tla ka ‘minong se hlokalang ke the so called “master minds” and thier “hit men” ba tlamehang ho atameloa ka thata hobane batho ba bang ba bolaetsoe lipelaellano fela e be bophelo ba ngoana motho bo se bo tlosoa, ke mpe ke utloe lehaeba ba bang ba bolaetsoe linnete ha ho motho ea lokelang ho bolaea e mong. Haeba o motho ea ka e mang litabeng ke tla o mema re lo kopana le ba bang bao re ntseng re re ho bona marumo fats’e hoba motse ho ahoa oa morapeli, habo mohale ho pheoa ka mamina!! Ha sebetsoe bo ntate!!!
Comment by Kolo on 5 October 2012:
@Seakhi ramots’eoa oa terene? ke utloile li sa behoa kamoo o buang litaba hore o tseba tse etsahalang, ke bile ke ithutile hore ha o motho oa fanatic tsena tse tselang parafini mollong oa maphelo a banna bana ba ntoa; mpe email ea hau re bue nna ke hotse hothoe ke moqhaka ha kele sekolong se phahameng bothata ka pota ha ratlali koana mokhahla oa mpalama mahetla. ke hulanya mantsoe ano a bomalimabe oeso, ekhujoa ele maoto mane