MASERU — Retired Colonel Tumo Lekhooa who served the army in the Military Intelligence, also former Director General of National Security Services (NSS), has told the High Court that a plot to commit mutiny was done at the State House.

In his evidence as one of the defence witnesses in the ongoing murder trial against nine army members accused of killing Maaparankoe Mahao, he stated that after receiving information about a planned mutiny in 2015, the army intelligence unit discovered that there were meetings held at the State House. 

He indicated that issues of refusing to accept the outcome of elections were discussed at length in such meetings which were between the then leaders of All Basotho Convention (ABC), Dr. Motsoahae Thabane who was also an outgoing Prime Minister at that time, Basotho National Party (BNP) Chief Thesele 'Maseribane and Reformed Congress of Lesotho (RCL) Ms. Keketso Rants'o.

"It was in those meetings where the issue of mobilising soldiers came out, they targeted the commanders of the elite units of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) in order to dismantle the machinery that kept the government in power," he added.

He testified that the aim was to weaken the LDF as well as to overthrow the democratic order and to subvert section 1 (1) of the Constitution of Lesotho.

The witness also told the Court that the army's intelligence unit discovered that the mutiny had both internal and external actors. He added that the external dimension of the mutiny involved states and supranational organisations.

He had earlier pointed out that there was information that Chief 'Maseribane was the coordinator of the mutiny plot while the then police boss Dr. Khothatso Tso'oana had pledged to supply weapons, ammunition and personnel for the mutiny.

The witness is facing similar charges as the accused in this case but the trial against him has not yet commenced because he fled the country in 2017 before the trial began. He is now on bail following his return and arrest in 2025. 

He has been warned by the defence to limit mentioning of names in his testimony for security reasons as one of the defence witnesses, Molieleng, was arrested by the police, then the army and later killed by unknown people after he testified in this case. 

The defence has since January 2026 been presenting its case before the Court following their unsuccessful application for discharge.

Among the defence witnesses who have already testified are the accused Captain Litekanyo Nyakane, Captain Haleeo Makara who admitted that he shot Mahao and Sergeant Lekhooa Moepi as well as the late Corporal Molise Molieleng and Retired Major 'Mamatela Hokinyana who worked at the Makoanyane Military Hospital in 2015 and was one of the medical staff which attended to the deceased before he was pronounced dead.

The accused who include Retired Army Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli are alleged to have intentionally shot and killed Mahao at Ha Lekete in Mokema on June 25, 2015.

They are also charged with attempted murder, theft and unlawful damage to property.