His Majesty King Letsie III and Prime Minister, Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili will be among mourners to attend the mass funeral of some of the road accident fatalities, which occurred at Ha Theko in the Thaba-Tseka district last month.

According to the Thaba-Tseka District Administrator's Senior Information Officer, the victims will be buried on Friday at Khohlo-Nts'o and Ha Nkokana in the Katse area.

Mr. Lits'oeneng Tiheli said the number of victims has increased to 26 following the latest death of another person, who was admitted at Queen Elizabeth II last Friday.

The Senior Information Officer said some of the families have lost more than one member, noting that some of the deceased are twins while at least other three families are reported to have lost more than one member.

Mr. Tiheli said the mass funeral will be preceded by a memorial service at Katse village on Wednesday, where the bereaved families and mourners are expected to attend.

He noted that on Thursday, the deceased will be fetched from Mphorosane mortuary and that a short prayer service will be held at the place of accident before being led to their respective families for rituals.

He said the office of the District Administrator together with the National Celebrations’ Committee made funeral arrangements in consultation with the affected families.

Funeral expenses that include coffins, meals to be served at the mass funeral and three cows have been provided by the office of the District Administer in Thaba-Tseka, he noted.

Meanwhile, two of the 26 victims were buried last Saturday by their families.

The accident occurred on December 26 when soccer players and fans were returning from a soccer tournament when the truck they were traveling in hit a rock before it overturned leaving 19 people dead at the spot. Six more died later at the 'Mamohau Hospital and the latest died last Friday in Maseru.

Source: LENA 07/01/2008