Ritual murderer Scott awaits sentence

‘Lied many times and gave different versions’

RELEBOHILE TSOAMOTSE

MASERU – High Court judge, Justice Teboho Moiloa, on Tuesday rejected convicted ritual murderer, Lehlohonolo Scott’s allegations that he was forcefully removed from detention in October 2012.

Scott had told the court that unknown men forcefully gained entry into his cell, injected him with a substance and later dumped him in Durban, South Africa, where he lived but Justice Moiloa on Tuesday dismissed Scott’s testimony as lies. He said Scott does not take the court seriously and lied many times when giving his evidence, and for that rejected his evidence. The judge found Scott guilty of all the charges he is facing – two counts of murder and another of unlawful escape from prison.

“I am convinced that evidence given against Scott was true; I reject that he was injected with a substance and I find him guilty for offences in Count 1 and 2,” Justice Moiloa said. He said it was clear from the testimonies that Scott was not kidnapped as he alleged but that he must have been assisted by officers at the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS). He added: “Accused Number One does not take this court seriously; he lied many times and gave different versions of his escape from prison.”

Scott, who has now been convicted, was initially charged only for murdering fellow residents, Moholobela Seetsa (13) and Kamohelo Mohata (22) in January and June 2012, respectively, but he was later charged with unlawful escape from prison after making a sensational escape in October the same year. He was arrested along with his mother on July 12, 2012, following the discovery of Seetsa and Mohata’s mutilated bodies in Koalabata. It was believed by residents that the bodies were used for ritual purposes. After almost two years on the run, Scott was re-arrested in Durban, South Africa on April 6, 2014 and lost his fight against extradition in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on May 5, 2015.

He was extradited to Lesotho on October 21, 2015, to stand trial. The trial was finalised in November 2019 after almost eight years since the arrest. Justice Moiloa also found Lehlonolo’s mother, ’Malehlohonolo Scott, of being an accessory to murder in count 2. He said he agrees with the Crown’s submission that ‘Malehlohonolo knew about the killings. “I don’t accept that she did not see or smell the blood, she must have been aware of Scott’s dealings, I find her guilty for being an accessory in count 2 (murder of Kamohelo Mohata).

“She cannot claim to have not seen clothes that did not belong to Scott nor smelled blood both in the house and toilet; the court believes she shared common purpose with her son to murder Kamohelo Mohata,” Justice Moiloa added. However, he said there was no enough evidence to link ’Malehlohonolo to the murder of Seetsa and therefore gave her the benefit of the doubt. “She may have also known about it but I find no evidence linking her,” Just Moiloa said.

The judge announced that he would sentence both Lehlohonolo and his mother on June 24 but agreed to the defence’s request that ’Malehlohonolo should remain out on bail because she is not a flight risk. But when Scotts lawyer argued that ’Malehlohonolo should remain out on bail because of her health condition, Justice Moiloa replied that he did not have evidence that she was sick.