Hospital Patient Shot and Killed
  A patient has been shot and killed in a mafia-type killing at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Maseru on January 10.

Senior Superintendent Keketso Kholokholo of the Maseru Central Region Police said the deceased had recently been transferred from the Paray hospital in Thaba-Tseka where he had been admitted in December last year, with gun shot and stab wounds. He had later been transferred to a male ward at the Queen II hospital.

A suspect was arrested by the Thaba-Tseka police although he later escaped from custody and is still at large.

Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Superintendent, Dr. Makhetha Mosotho, expressed shock at the incident and said the hospital did not have any reason to believe that a patient could be shot within its precincts as it is a public place where acts of violence are least expected. The incident took all of them, including the police, by surprise, he said.

He explained that there had been no hint of violence against the patient during his admission at Paray hospital until his transfer to Queen II hospital, nobody had expected the incident in Maseru.
 
Police investigations into the matter are continuing.

11 January 2005
  source: LENA