Maseru, June 15 — An accomplice witness in a double murder case, Setsokotsane Majalle,says he did not use all the available opportunities to escape from Lefa Mabusane after he had killed two women as he feared for his life.

This he told the Court during his cross-examination by a lawyer representing the accused Advocate Lepeli Molapo.

The witness testified that the accused threatened to kill him and his mother. He stated that he had made a promise to him that he would not raise an alarm and that he would make sure that he goes back to

Bloemfontein in South Africa. He pointed out that he had no choice but to comply with the instructions from the accused especially after he witnessed him kill the two women.

The accused's lawyer told the witness that it is intriguing that even when they were at the border post where there were police and immigration officers, he did not inform them that he was kidnapped. He added that there are a lot of surprises in his evidence further adding that he is not a truthful witness.

Majalle who was initially charged together with Mabusane was on Monday, at the beginning of the trial turned into a state witness and the charges against him withdrawn pursuant to section 278 (3) of Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act of 1981.

It is alleged that Mabusane killed Mpho Khutsoane and Mathebane Ramatabooe at Ha Mosalla in Thaba-Bosiu on August 11 2014. It is further alleged that he also stole a motor vehicle belonging to Khuts'oane during the same incident.

According to a preamble presented before court by the prosecution, the deceased were nurses under the Ministry of Health and were attending a workshop at Thaba-Bosiu. It stated that they collected Majalle and Mabusane who were their respective lovers to Thaba-Bosiu but along the way they turned against them and killed them. It added that Mabusane

forced Majalle to drive the stolen vehicle which was later recovered at Bloemfontein in South Africa. Mabusane has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. 

Although the prosecution challenged his application for extension of bail, the court granted the application indicating that there are no grounds to justify termination of his bail.

The case is before Justice Ts'eliso Mokoko.