I HID MY FEET UNDER MY BODY, AS SOLDIERS STAMPED ON MY TOES- MOLELEKI

The Minister of Natural Resources Mr. Monyane Moleleki, says he hid his feet under his body from soldiers who stamped on his toes, at Makoanyane Barracks during the course of his captive day, on April 14, 1994.     

The Minister was continuing with his testimony at the High Court on Wednesday 25 September,2002 during on going case in which 24 Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) members are being charged with the murder of the former Deputy Prime Minister, the late Selometsi Baholo, as well as kidnapping of Cabinet Ministers. He indicated that, the soldiers had picked him up at government quarters in Maseru West where he stays, and ordered him to climb on top of an army van. He said they also ordered him to show them where Mr. Kelebone Maope's residence was, who was by then, the Minister of Justice, Human Rights, and Constitutional Affairs.     

Mr. Moleleki explained that, he promised  to show them Mr. Maope's residence and that as they were approaching it, they saw him outside his yard walking hurriedly towards his house. He said it seemed as if he was from jogging as he was dressed in a tracksuit, and canvas shoes. He stated that, Mr. Maope was about 10 metres from his house and that the army van took him unawares, and that most of the soldiers who were with him in the back of the van, jumped down and surrounded him (Maope), cocking their rifles noisily. He said when he saw the soldiers he became so frightened that he yelled and cried loudly.     

They did not take kindly to his yelling and crying and therefore grabbed him. They hit him with helmets, while some of them kicked him and in about five minutes he was on top of the van," he said. He clarified that, it was by the time he saw him (witness), that he regained his composure. He added that, the soldiers had assaulted Mr. Maope because he wanted to defend himself, and that after having overpowered him
and thrown him inside the van, he (Moleleki) recognised a soldier who was once a body guard of the then Minister of Education, Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili.    

The soldier whose name is Nthako (accused number seven), was agitated, very angry, nervous and very aggressive, and this was proved by an order that he gave to his colleagues that they should search Mr. Maope, as he could have a gun," he elaborated. He pointed out that, Nthako then took out a nine-millimetre gun, cocked
it and pointed it at Mr. Maope's neck, and said they were going to shoot him before the arrival of people that he had fetched for them. He said when they arrived at Makoanyane Barracks, their abductors drove them inside a hall where they instructed them to sit diagonally in a corner with Mr. Maope, which they did.     

Four soldiers who were heavily armed, sat on chairs with rifles on their laps. Soldiers whose number could be about 60 or 30 came in and out every time, and insulted us," he disclosed. He said some soldiers stamped heavily on his toes until he crouched at a corner, and curled his legs under him, thus hiding the toes from them.

Twenty-four LDF members are facing charges of Murder and Kidnapping, after they allegedly shot and killed the late Selometsi Baholo, and kidnapped cabinet ministers on April 14, 1994. The case that is before Justice Semapo Peete is continuing. The
Prosecutor is Mr. Roland Suhr, while defence counsel are Advocates Hae Phoofolo, Thabo Nteso, Ts'upane Maieane, and Molefi Ntlhoki.

26 September,2002