Kasi Kota owner tried to buy victim’s silence

SEBONGILE MATHE

MASERU — In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community, Kasi Kota owner Mathe Lethale, 40, appeared before the Maseru Magistrate Court on Wednesday this week, facing serious charges of assaulting a woman in what is being described as a brutal and unprovoked attack.

Lethale, a well-known figure in Maseru’s nightlife scene, stood before Magistrate Makopano Rantšo alongside his employee, Molotjoa Moteletsane, 42, who also faces charges in connection with the incident.

The alleged assault took place at Kasi Kota, Lethale’s popular eatery and drinking spot in Ha Pita, Maseru, on the evening of July 1. The victim, ’Matšepiso Jonase, a female army officer, detailed the events of that fateful night in a harrowing affidavit submitted to the court.

Jonase had brought her brother to Kasi Kota earlier in the day, intending to leave him there for a short while. However, what was meant to be a brief outing quickly spiralled into a nightmare.

Later that evening, Jonase received an alarming phone call informing her that her brother, who had been drinking heavily, was overspending. He had reportedly run up a staggering bill of approximately M10,000, an amount that alarmed Jonase.

Rushing back to Kasi Kota, she found her brother in a severely intoxicated state, surrounded by strangers, and completely unaware of the financial hole he had dug for himself. When Jonase attempted to settle the matter, she was met with indifference and hostility.

One of the waitresses ignored her requests for the bill, prompting her to seek help directly from Lethale. However, her attempts to engage with Lethale were met with cold silence. In a desperate bid to get Lethale’s attention, Jonase grabbed his phone, which was lying on his lap.

What followed was a violent and unexpected assault. Jonase testified that both Lethale and Moteletsane attacked her, beating her until she fell to the ground. Even after she was down, the attack continued mercilessly.

Jonase recounted how the men kicked her repeatedly, aiming blows at her body and even her private parts in an attack which has left her physically and emotionally scarred.

The violence did not end with the assault. According to Jonase’s testimony, Lethale fled to South Africa in the aftermath, perhaps hoping to escape the consequences of his actions. Upon his return, Lethale reportedly attempted to buy Jonase’s silence, offering her M10,000 in an effort to dissuade her from reporting the incident to the police.

Jonase, however, refused to take the money, stating that the trauma she had endured was too great to be silenced by cash, especially as she now faces the possibility of infertility due to the injuries inflicted upon her private parts.

The courtroom was tense as the charges were read out, detailing the brutal assault that shook the Ha Pita community. The charge sheet described the attack as an unlawful and intentional act of violence, committed with a common purpose by both accused men.

“In that upon or about July 1, 2024, at or near Kasi Kota, Ha Pita, in the district of Maseru, the said accused, each or both, acting in furtherance of a common purpose, unlawfully and intentionally assaulted one ’Matšepiso Jonase on her person, thus committing the said offence,” read the charge sheet. Despite the severity of the charges, Lethale and Moteletsane both pleaded guilty and applied for bail.

Lethale, in his defense, emphasised his status as a businessman and assured the court of his willingness to attend future court dates. Moteletsane, on the other hand, argued that he was not a flight risk, as his family and work ties are firmly rooted in Maseru. The Crown, did not oppose their bail applications.

Magistrate Rantšo granted bail under strict conditions: each accused was required to pay a bail deposit of M500, attend all remand hearings, avoid interfering with Crown witnesses, and commit to standing trial until its conclusion. The duo is expected to reappear before the magistrate on August 13.