Fokothi students bid goodbye to murdered Manyai

’MASENTLE MAKARA

MASERU – A memorial service for the murdered Fokothi female student Manyai Theoha was held today at the Lerotholi Polytechnic campus. Manyai was raped before she was brutally murdered by two men on 5 June in Maseru. One of the suspects was apprehended on the same day and was in turn killed and burnt by an angry mob. Manyai’s Father Nts’ala Theoha said his daughter’s body was found with stab wounds showing a sharp object had been used to commit the dastardly act.

“I couldn’t believe it when the police told me about the death of my child. This broke my heart. My only comfort is at least I have my daughter’s remains.” SRC President Ts’oloane Thaanyane said the news came as a shock to them and the whole nation.

“This was a very sad incident. We wanted to protest but there were procedures to be followed, which we couldn’t fulfil,” Thaanyane said, adding one of the suspected murderers is dead while the other is still alive. “This is a unique case and therefore justice should be done in the unique way,” Thaanyane said, addressing mourners this morning.

He went on to express regret about how the college is perceived by the nation due to past incidents of violence and murder of students, allegedly by their schoolmates. This has seen some people failing to empathise with the death of Manyai.

“I was surprised to see a comment on our vibrant Facebook page reading ‘How can they protest and be sad over this murder while they (Fokothi’ students) kill one each other?’” “We protested over those killings and for a period of two years there have not been any more deaths in our school”, he added. Classmates described Manyai as a brave young woman and a decision-maker, as seen by her contribution in different clubs and organisations, whose absence will be hard to replace. Manyai who was in her second year is said to have passed first year with distinctions and was expected to excel this semester.

Her remains will be collected at 12 mid-day tomorrow at a local funeral parlour at Ha Nyenye Phukalla in Leribe, where her burial is scheduled for Saturday.