Maseru __ Mothusi Tlelase, one of the four men charged with the murder of renowned radio personality Ralikonelo Joki who was known as 'Leqhashasha', as well as Mothibe Mothibe and Thomello Ntsane has denied committing the offences he is charged with.

The accused took a stand after his application for discharge together with his co-accused was unsuccessful.

He stated that he learned about the death of Mothibe and Ntsane from a villager in Mokema the next day. He indicated that on the night the duo was killed, he had gone drinking at Koro-Koro with Sekhobe Maama and Rapelang Chaka who testified in this matter as state witnesses.

The witness told the court that they went drinking after Chaka and Maama had sold a firearm to his co-accused Sootho Liphoto. He said they implicated him as they wanted to impress the police and appear innocent whereas they testified as accomplice witnesses and accepted liability to the killing of Mothibe and Ntsane.

He added that Teboho Kumi, another state witness who testified as one of the key witnesses as he transported the alleged killers of Leqhashasha, implicated him because he believed that his vehicle which had been impounded will be released.

Tlelase and Liphoto are charged together with Kamo Phakoe and Moabi Sesioana. They are accused of contravening section 40 (1) of the Penal Code Act No.6 of 2010 read with section 40 (2) and section 26 (1) of the same Act.    

It is alleged that they shared a common intention or purpose to pursue an unlawful act together and in the pursuit of such purpose, they shot and killed Joki during an incident that occurred at Lower Thamae on May 14, 2023. It is further alleged that they also killed Mothibe and Ntsane at Mokema on May 20, 2023.         

According to section 40 (1) of the Penal Code Act no.6 of 2010, " Any person who performs any unlawful act or omission with the intention of causing the death of another person, commits the offence of murder if such death results from his or her act or omission. Subsection 2 of the Same Act provides that, "the punishment on conviction for murder shall be a sentence of death.       

Section 26 (1) of the same Act provides thus: "Where two or more persons share a common intention or purpose to pursue an unlawful purpose together, and in the pursuit of such purpose an offence is committed, then each party to the common intention is deemed to have committed an offence".      

The prosecution in this case is represented by Advocate Christopher Lephuthing while the defence is represented by Adv. Lepeli Molapo.   

The case is before Justice Tseliso Mokoko.