Villagers kill rape suspect

CELINAH MATSIE

MASERU – A 31-year-old man from Mpatana, Ha-Raleqheka was beaten up by Mothibi villagers after he was caught on January 9 trying to rape a 79-year-old woman.

The man died on the spot.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli, said on January 9 at around 00:00 hours, the elderly lady was sleeping besides her two grandchildren aged six and 13 and she woke up to pray usual.

As she was praying, the old lady heard the window breaking and saw a man forcing herself in. Immediately, the lady took her cellphone and dialled a neighbour’s number but could not speak.

“The man went in and was carrying a huge stone with which he threatened to harm her if she refused to sleep with him. The lady refused and promised to give him money but the man insisted he did not want money but sex only,” Mopeli said.

Fortunately, the neighbour rushed to the old lady’s house and the man was caught and fatally assaulted by the villagers.

Mopeli said this was not the first time the man was accused of rape as he had raped another lady from Ha-Motlelepa but the incident was not reported to the police as he managed to pay three goats to the victim.

In the same district, 34-year-old Limakatso Tsolo from Semphetenyane who was working as a pension fund officer appeared before the Maseru magistrate court on January 14 accused of stealing M14 100.

She will re-appear again in court on January 23.

Meanwhile, a 25-year-old man from Ha-Ralejoe who was working at Mazenod Book Centre was also arrested on the January 15 for allegedly stealing M72,256.12.

Mopeli said the man was last seen at work on January 13 when the money went missing and since then his phone was off.

The suspect immediately wrote a letter resigning with immediate effect.

“It was then that the managers decided to report the matter to the police. Police went to the man’s house and managed to find M70, 560,” Mopeli said.

The man appeared before the court on January 20.