Kidnap suspects remanded in custody
By Nat Molomo
MASERU — Two police officers who are facing charges of kidnapping a schoolboy last month will remain in custody until next week after Senior Resident Magistrate ’Makampong Mokhoro said she needed time to study arguments for their bail applications.
Constables Tšepo Mohami, a member of the police’s Special Operations Unit and Bataung Thulo, of the terminal benefits division will know on Monday whether their bail applications would be granted or not.
Mokhoro told their counsel, Advocate Moeketsi Lekobane for Mohami and Attorney Qhalehang Letsika for Thulo that she needed time to ponder arguments raised in court on Tuesday.
The two men have been in police custody since their arrest three weeks ago.
The police officers are alleged to have kidnapped Tšepang Bulane, a 14-year-old Lesotho High School student while walking to school early in the morning three weeks ago.
He was found in Mokhotlong four days later.
The case took a bizarre twist last week after the court heard that Thulo was in a romantic relationship with the boy’s mother who is also a policewoman.
The boy was kidnapped after the affair went sour, the court heard.
Opposing their bail application, the boy’s mother ’Matsepang Bulane said Thulo once threatened to shoot her together with the Commissioner of Police.
She said she was in an abusive relationship with Thulo and she feared that if he was released he was going to attack her and her son.
The two men have not yet pleaded to the charge of kidnapping.
In an attempt to persuade the court to release the men
on bail, the defence lawyers quoted section 12 (4) of the constitution which says individuals should be presumed innocent till proven guilty.
Advocate Lekobane, defending Mohami, said subsection six of section 12 of the constitution states that accused should be admitted to bail pending trial unless it is proved to the court that their release would be detrimental to justice.
Lekobane argued that there is no evidence that his client will interfere with crown witnesses.
He said the crown must provide evidence to support their submissions that witnesses will be interfered with.
“Evidence of the crown against accused one (Mohami) is only an imaginary opinion. There is no evidence to support what they say, except to say that he will interfere with the crown witnesses,” Lekobane said.
He said it had never been submitted that Mohami interfered with crown witnesses.
He pointed out that other factors which must be considered are the balance of the interest of justice together with the liberty of the accused persons.
Attorney Letsika for Thulo, reacting to some of the submissions by the crown that if the accused are released on bail they might interfere with the evidence and witnesses, protested that it would be unfair if the accused are kept in jail while the crown investigates its case.
“The accused have not been told who the crown witnesses are. We submit that they be admitted on bail,” Letsika submitted.
He said the accused are likely to suffer immense prejudice if they are kept in custody pending trial.
He further argued that the crown is not even sure when the investigations will be complete and when the case will start.
He rebutted claims that Thulo would interfere with crown witnesses especially the schoolboy or his mother.
“There is no evidence before this court that the witnesses will be intimidated, the issue came from ‘Me’ ’Matšepang, the mother of the child,” he said.
“The accused never talked to her or about their love relations.”
Letsika said the issue is whether Thulo is aware of the nature of evidence and the identity of witnesses.
“We submit that accused (Thulo) is not aware of the crown witnesses, even if he was aware, he would not interfere with them,” the lawyer argued.
He reiterated that section 12 of the Constitution of Lesotho says an accused is presumed innocent till proven guilty.
Prosecution has called witnesses who testified why the accused should not be given bail
Comment by Lekhoakhoa on 14 March 2013:
Ah, so we now know the name of the child that was kidnapped, is this legal? Is this going to be one of those cases where public funds are just wasted? Abusive relationship? Yes we have been there before, it is happening all the time in Lesotho. Somehow I still feel we have not been told all the facts about this so called kidnapping.
Comment by semenekane on 14 March 2013:
Ngoana o ameha joang likamanong tsa Thulo le ‘Mae?. The rights and freedom of the child have been deprived therefore I Urge Magistrate handling this case to disapprove the bail application to accused persons. They seem to be threats not to only to victims but also to Commissioner of Police.
Let them wait for their case in the prison.
Comment by Koto on 14 March 2013:
Ache lapa lena la Bulane ha lena lehlohonolo la bofebe.Bona emong oa ha Bulane o sa tsoa bolaoa ke mong mosali,bantse ba ratana ele mapolesa.Joale mosali ke enoa oa fane eona eo o sa ratana lele polesa,le eena entse ele lepolesa,joale ke enoa o koetela ngoana,hape u ts’episa mosali enoa lefu.Mosali enoa ha khaohane le lepolesa lena,re ntse releteng masafilone,kapa koma e monate ea lepolesa’
Comment by Academic on 14 March 2013:
So why exactly was the boy kidnaped and thn released again? & when the defence lawyers say their clients are innocent until proven guilty Does ths mean we’r not even sure if the boy was kidnapped or not?
Comment by Lejantja on 14 March 2013:
Hela Koto ehlile ke eena mosali oa Bulane oa ho bolaeloa guest house Ha Tsosane enoa ea hlahang mona.
Comment by china girl on 14 March 2013:
ha ha ha ha!shung-yong basotho.if eena mosaliBulane go china oa feba chinise can kill kill once. why bontate mosotho ke take mashanyana. moshanyana haeeo mathata. only mosali bulane ke oa rata pipi ea mosotho. mosali bulane com com pipi chinese ke nice 2 much.
Comment by Marathon on 14 March 2013:
Monna Koto, butle moshaná nkhono lekhotla lena ua tseba le kenoa le ke basali…u tla t’sosa bana.
Comment by Manyala on 14 March 2013:
1. this police-woman has a right to be in a romantic relation; ka mora hore monna oa hae a bolaoe ka bofebe. whether she’s in love with a police man or a pauper, that’s none of our business. so you FongKong @china girl ha ke utloe hore na bofebe bo kena kae mosaling eeo.
2. the talk now is about a child who has been kidnapped. we want to know under which circumstances he was kidnapped.
Comment by Lai-thekhe on 14 March 2013:
Ruri ena taba ea lelapa la bulane bopolesa le bohlola, ke ntho e thata haholo feela ke t’sosoa ke motho enoa mohami(Masheleshele)o bonahala a rata ho iketsa starring, o ntsa qosoa ka robery joale o sale kidnaping, hee batho ha ba li tsabe litaba…Hona Thulo ha ana lelapa? Mosali ekaba o lekehile ha kaakang?
Comment by Kamanga Malawi on 14 March 2013:
Butleng bo ntate ke mosali oa Bulane mong’a litaba tseee, ichuuu katla ka qaboha, joale uena mosali ea motle oa bona bohlola hase ntho e lokileng hobane joale ke bona bo qetella bo kene le ho ngoana. Wa tseba ngoana eo o tlo o hloea joang? Chehe o pale!
Comment by Tlhase on 14 March 2013:
Win! LMPS! Win! Bofebe ke sesosa nako ena kaofela. Na le hlokometse hore ho na le taba tsa LMPS beke e nngoe le e nngoe. Bobolu, Bofebe, Torture (Lenkoane)! ke trademark kea bona.
Comment by Tlhase on 14 March 2013:
Manyala, “this police-woman has a right to be in a romantic relation”.
Indeed she has every right. But neither should that right impinge on the rights of others! Otherwise we would be using Jungle mentality! Just because she has a right does not mean she should have an affair with a married man. She is also expected to do everything she can to protect her child or offspring. Now she has exposed her child to thugs! That is not good judgement and not responsible parenting. She failed to exercise good judgement in exercising her right to be in the so-called romantic relationship. It’s disgusting.
Comment by Lerato on 14 March 2013:
Kea makala hore na mapolesa ha se batho? Mme haeba ke batho ba tla etsa lintho tse etsoang ke batho eseng manyeloi kapa baikaketsi. Ke nne ke batho ba molao ba bileng ba rupetsoeng ka thata ho phetha tsa molao, empa ka nnete hleng batho bana ke batho ba tsoetsoe tje ka nna le uena, ba holisoa malapeng a fapaneng ba kena le likolo tse fapaneng, hao! Empa le teng hleng haele litlhekefetso tsena tsona rea rapela li ke li eme.
Comment by cats on 14 March 2013:
ebe ke potential nyatsi tse kae tse ngotsoeng hore ke likoeta
boholo ba basotho ke lifebe ha ke utloe naa le emeletse Matsepang ka bofebe ba hae hobaneng???
Thulo ke le koala la monna ha se eena oa pele oa ho jola ebile ha se eena o ho qetela o bona banna ntse ba utsoa bana ba linyatsi tsa bona ha ba hlahloa?
Comment by Manyala on 14 March 2013:
@Thlase:
okay, i was not aware that Thulo is a married man. Tshoarelo! Bohlola boa nyonyeha: But that does not justify kidnapping.
Comment by Lekaota on 14 March 2013:
hmm ke sono ka ngoana
Comment by Noko on 14 March 2013:
Les Times still short on facts….
Comment by Tlhase on 14 March 2013:
Ngoana ka mora ho shoella ke Ntatae tlasa maemo a tje o boetse joale ho qalile ‘Mae. Give the child a break please Mme! This is what traumatizes children. Mind you, haeba o 14 yrs, o se a na le kelello. I wish Mme enoa a ka hata-butle hanyane, a emela ngoana a be a tsoe phakoeng kaha o ntse a le traumantised ke taba tsa Ntatae then she can do as she pleases. Hona nyatsi ee ea hae ke ea ho tloha neng, hase ea ho tloha Bulane a sa phela? E khoali e khoatsana. Nna ke hauhela ngoana feela. Ha re nahaneleng bana pele re icheba hleng.
Comment by Tlhase on 14 March 2013:
Ngoana o tla sebetsa hantle joang sekolong tlasa maemo a tjee. Mo emele a ee tertiary pele hle Mme ebe hona o qalang taba tsena. Oeee!
Comment by mymothersaid on 14 March 2013:
Yes, what is the issue here?
Was the child really kidnapped?
Should this 2 irresponsible men be granted bail, why did they make a child miss School for a number of days?
Have they really threatened to kill this lady?
I feel we should not have been given the child’s name, it should remain confidential, poor child I am sure he is going to get it at lunch time from his School mates! Les Times I feel you should have been a bit sensitive here.
I also feel we are already blaming the lady for having an affair, should she put up with an abusive relationship? We are so quick to judge the woman as always!
Comment by Tlhase on 14 March 2013:
mymothersaid, She was having an affair, I safely presume knowingly with a married man! Now that in my book is wrong and no amount of justifying can do. I do not think the lady is being blamed for having an affair. She is a widow after all and can do as she pleases. If she was abused, she terminated the relationship correctly, but had already exposed her son to unwanted elements or thugs! If the child had been harmed, would she not feel guilty or blame herself in her deepest soul? I think she would. The public is not passing judgement but simply recognizing her bad decisions an bad judgement that nobody can deny she is guilty of.
Comment by Lekhoakhoa on 14 March 2013:
So you are not blaming the two kidnappers, for taking the child away and making him miss School you are passing judgement on the mother? If the man has been dumped why is he taking it out on the poor child? As if this poor boy has not suffered enough! Now I am beginning to think that this men deserve to be locked up, because they are irresponsible.
Comment by cats on 15 March 2013:
Thank you mymothersaid le Lekhoakhoa ba ichebetse feela hore mosali o na feba hore naa koeta tsee likotsi ha kae???tsoo
ka rapela ntate molimo hore a sireletse ngoana maseterata a hane ka bail hoba Thulo o kotsi haholo joale oa utloa o sebetsa le koeta se seng
KE SURE HA LE QALE HO BONA BATHO BANYATSANANG BA HLALANANG EMPA ENOA A SELE EA BA BAKA LERATO
Comment by china girl on 15 March 2013:
@ Fong kong manyala
yung shau tong. uena ke like like mosali sefebe. you manyala 2mch.
Comment by nomatterwhat on 15 March 2013:
Most of you ke utloa le pota. Le re bohlola bo bongata ha – Bulane? ea chulong joalo u bua ‘Mae, hobane eena haa tsebe le ntatae, ke lelinyane la peto. You have to face the reality, tlohellang Matsepang le her private life. The fact that her husband o bolailoe ke satane eno does not mean o tlameha ho emisa ka bophelo ba hae. Hona ha le re a emele Tsepang ho fihlela a le tertiary ea be e le hona a ratanang hana bo-mma lona le bo-ntata lona ba ile ba emela hore le tsofale ba tsebe ho feba? le bona Matsepang ele sehlola se se fetang mang? hape ha le re Matsepang a se ke a ratana le monna ea nang le lelapa le batla a ratane le bashanyana?
Comment by Lefefooane on 15 March 2013:
Hele, mehlolo ruri. E le hore lelapa lee ke la lifebe? Ke monna o shoetse bofebe. Le pele monna a bola mabitleng mosali le ena o tsuile letsolo o tsoma koma. Khilik lapa la lifebe. I will not be surprised if the kidnapped guy also ke sefebe. Mosali eo le monna ba hloloa ke bofebe hakaakang!!!
Comment by S'bongile on 15 March 2013:
1. @Lefefooana leave that 14 year child alone. if you have any evidence that this child has been abused sexually, please come up with this information as this is a statutory rape. he is not a guy but a child. bana ha se lifebe.
2. @nomatterwhat
uena kannete u buella masaoana. naha ea rona e hloloa ho loantsa kokoana ena e bitsoang hiv/aids ka mabaka a ho arolelana likobo le banna ba basali ba bang; kapa banna ba basali ba bang. na re tla qeta tjee? tshoaetso mona tshoaetso koana. ehlile bohlola ke masepa.
Comment by Ntjanyana on 15 March 2013:
butleng batho ba heso ka ho roba litaba, hona le issue e ngoe ea khale ea Lesotho times le ha ke lebetse ke ea neng e be bua ka Monna oa tichere eo e neng e le lesole a tswereng ka hore o bolaile ofisiri e ngoe ea maponesa ka mora hore a ba tsware haha le mosali kae-kae khubetswana-Ha mabote, monna eo ha se eena monna oa motho eo oa sehlola hoba ke hopola e ka eena o ntse a tola ka baka la eona taba eo ea ho bolaea monna pa leponesa? nthuseng e se be le ‘na ke loba litaba. mosali a qeta banna enoa jonna we!!!!!!
Comment by mymothersaid on 15 March 2013:
@Lefefooane, I think you should apologize, you do not call a 14 year old child what you have just called him, he has not done anything wrong. This child should never have been kidnapped. What his mother is doing with her life is her own business, I am sorry but is is true, the child should not be made to suffer just because the mother has had lapse of judgement when selecting a boyfriend. You write as if she is the worst woman ever! What about these cowards kidnapping children?
Comment by ntja ngoanabo fariki on 15 March 2013:
che basotho rea itlontlolla hleng, empa ke bona boraro bona bo etselitse ngoana enoa sehlooho sena sa haesale.
Comment by Ramanyalo on 16 March 2013:
E be kuku ya mosali eo e joang e etsang hore monna oa lelapa a lahle boikarabello?
Comment by Nkhate-ke-hlaname on 16 March 2013:
Ana Basotho ba re sholu ke le ts’oeroeng! Re sa tla ahlama he ka ‘Mats’epang, re lebala hore tsa rona re a li pata, li hloke baphiti, re pepese tsa ba bang. Ha re ke re itlhatlhobeng pele re akhela lejoe ho tlepetsa. Ba bang ba rona re mehoke, mekakala, febe tsa khale bo chomane tse mathe a bolila. Joale kajeno belo le felile thota e setse, re se re le mona nthong tsa batho. Ba bang ba lona ha le sa tsoheloa le ho tsoheloa/e se le le mahlare ao le pokola e a nenang.
Comment by kotola on 16 March 2013:
Ho feba hase phoso fela jwale hake utlwe na ngwana o kenywa keng tabeng tsena!kapo enele gore ‘mae atla khutle?
Comment by S'bongile on 17 March 2013:
batho ba buella bohlola bathong nyoef nyoef bohlola ha se phoso. nxa!
true this love affair is no excuse to kidnap a child.
EMPA bohlola bona ke phoso ke mokhoa ona batho ba lekang ho bo pata; hobane le bona ba ea tseba hore ke masepa. naha ea Lesotho e tletse koatsi ea bosolla thlapi, le bana ba senang batsoali ba mamina ka lebaka la makotano a senang boikarabello a bohlola, ha ke utloe hore motho ea phelang hantle ka hloohong a ka buella bohlola joang.
Comment by memza on 17 March 2013:
Thulo o ne ke keng a etsa sena seo a se entseng hoba a keke a feba ale mong,joale lere a khaohane fela a jooe mashome,lea hlanya mosali eno o tlameha hore a hlatse tse thulo a mo etselitseng tsona.Mosali eo ena o re o itumella ho sebelisa botsehali ba hae hore a je masheleng a batho.oa nyela o tla tlameha ho hlatsa tsohle tsa motho eno.mosali re tlameha ho ahlola ka ho ekela Thulo tlolong ea molao ka botsehali ba hae.
Comment by k.damn gud on 17 March 2013:
ke nyatsa masepa nna lea tseba,ke hore motho oa monna aka bua joalo ka ha eka ena haa so beche matekatse,empa taba e ea hole fela bonnete Thulo o nepile ka ho nka ngoanenoa oa mosali enoa.Monna eno o jooe boholo eseng ertym tsena tsa lona,o rekile makoloi le matlo joale haa chona mosali eo oa mo hlobola.idk!Thulo o nepile ka ho votha ntja ea hae hore e mo thuse ba amohe mosali eno seo a se ratang le ena akere ena ha ana chelete o na le kuku fela eo a kekeng a e amuhuoa joale ba mo amoha ngoana hoba ke phetho seo a nang le sona ase rata.ke lakatsa hore ebe le khotla mane ho no qusuoe ena ere nyeoe hae mohlola ba mo phethise ka ngoana enoa.
Comment by Lekhoakhoa on 17 March 2013:
Unfortunately the issue is not whether the bloke has been stupid enough to work for someone else’s family, it is whether he should have taken the child on his way to School without his guardian’s permission. If he has been supporting this woman he can ask for his money back there are right channels which he could have followed, kidnapping is not one of them. If you run around buying houses for someone who is not related or married to you then it is your own fault if they chuck you out when you start lacking in other departments. The child had nothing to do with it, leave him alone.
Comment by Lefefooane on 18 March 2013:
@mymothersaid, I retract my attacks on the kid. In any case what is wrong with this family, monna o shoetse bofebe, mosale eena ke sefebe. Hele le tjena lelap ke qala ho le bona.
Comment by mymothersaid on 18 March 2013:
@Lefefooane well done! I wish more readers were like you.
Peace!
Comment by roseta on 19 March 2013:
heeeee mapolesa ke matekatse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!