Bodies were severely burnt, says doctor

By Nthethe Maphaong

MASERU — A doctor who performed a post mortem on three people who were brutally murdered in Mafeteng in 2011 told the High Court that the bodies were severely burnt that it was difficult for her find the real cause of their deaths. Dr Kabelo Mputsoe told Justice ’Maseshophe Hlajoane last Wednesday that she only managed to find two bullet wounds in the chest of the 51-yerar-old ’Makhahliso Matlali.

Matlali was shot dead and set alight together with her daughter and grandchild. Dr Mputsoe also told the judge that she could not perform an autopsy to the other two bodies of Morongoe Matlali and Karabo Matlali because of the extent to which they were charred. “I examined the lady and I found that the blood and air were not in their position because of the gunshot wound on her body,” Dr Mputsoe said. “The deceased had two bullet wounds on the side of her chest and she was identified as ’Makhahliso Matlali.”

The crown alleges that the trio was killed by Lepolesa Khotseng on May 5, 2011. It claimed that Khotseng stormed into their house at night when they were preparing to sleep and started shooting them. Crown witness Ntsekiseng Matlali, who said she was in the same house, told the court that Khotseng set the house ablaze after shooting them. Ntsekiseng is ’Makhahliso’s daughter.

Ntsekiseng said she identified Khotseng when he entered the house because she knew him as one of the village men. The police traced Khotseng to his home in Ha-Matetoane village and recovered a 3.8 Special Revolver. Ballistic tests confirmed that it was the gun used to kill ’Makhahliso and her children.

Detective Constable ’Mabathoana, who was part of the investigation team, told the judge he arrested Khotseng after a tip-off. Khotseng allegedly told the police during interrogation where he had kept the gun.