Kabelo Masoabi
AS incidents of mob justice continue to rise across Leribe, courts in the district are increasingly being called upon to deal with cases in which suspected thieves are beaten or killed by angry community members.
Police and judges have repeatedly warned that taking the law into one’s own hands not only undermines the justice system but often ends in loss of life and criminal prosecutions against those involved.
Just this past week, eight men accused of killing a suspected thief in Ha-Maputsoe appeared before the Tšifa-li-Mali Magistrate’s Court on charges of manslaughter.
The accused — Sekonyela Sekonyela (39), Thele Chaole (48), Lefafatsane Rats’oane (52), Mosuoe Mpopane (38), Kefuoe Mokoto (46), Ramakoloi Raboroko (34), Thabo Mpusi (62) and Tieho Latela (39) — were granted free bail and the matter was postponed to 10 June 2026.
The court heard that the men allegedly assaulted an unnamed 33-year-old man suspected of robbery after he reportedly resisted attempts to restrain him.
According to Detective Police Constable Hlalele Khetsi of the Maputsoe Criminal Investigations Office, police received a report on 24 April 2025 of a man who had allegedly died after being beaten by villagers.
Investigations allegedly revealed that some of the accused had previously been victims of robberies and suspected the deceased of involvement in the crimes.
According to police, the eight later confronted the victim at Mpusi’s home, where a struggle allegedly broke out after he became aggressive. Police further alleged that the men forced him to his house, where they recovered suspected stolen property, before taking him to the chief’s place. He later died from injuries allegedly sustained during the assault.
The matter is the latest in a growing number of mob justice cases before courts in Leribe.
In another case, the Northen Division of the High Court at Tšifa-li-Mali Court Complex in Leribe last month convicted six Maputsoe men of murdering Phantsi Mphutlane, who died after allegedly being assaulted by a group accusing him of theft in August 2019.
Moeketsi Molapo of Hanyenye, Mohanoe Lesaoana of Ha Maqele, Bafokeng Khomari of Ha Nyene, Khothatso Phamotse of Bela-Bela, Lethola Mokhatholane of Masoleng, Khathala Janki of Ha Qalo and Nyakane Mohlotse of Ha Maqele were accused of acting with a common intention to pursue an unlawful purpose that resulted in Mphutlane’s death on 28 August 2019.
The court heard that Mphutlane, who was suspected of theft, endured a prolonged assault during which he was allegedly beaten with sticks while his skull was reportedly crushed with a stone.
During the trial, evidence was led that a young boy had been caught inside a shop after Molapo allegedly saw him entering through a window. Molapo reportedly alerted Lesaoana, whose family owns the shop, and the boy was apprehended.
Under questioning, the boy allegedly implicated Mphutlane, claiming he had sent him to steal from the shop.
The six men then allegedly searched for Mphutlane, who reportedly fled while carrying a metal stick. Dogs were allegedly set on him before he was eventually caught.
The court further heard allegations that Mphutlane used young boys to steal on his behalf. Once apprehended, he was allegedly assaulted by members of the group as a crowd gathered around him.
According to court testimony, Mphutlane later handed over three mobile phones allegedly linked to previous theft cases involving some of the accused.
At one stage, he was allegedly dragged to a nearby forest at Matlapaneng while bleeding heavily and already in a helpless condition. The assault reportedly continued for hours until he lost consciousness.
Police further alleged that Nyakane Mohlotse later struck Mphutlane on the head with a stone.
A postmortem report presented in court revealed that Mphutlane sustained severe injuries, including a fractured skull with exposed blood and brain matter.
In her December 2025 judgment, Justice ’Manapo Motebele ruled that the accused had exceeded any lawful use of force after overpowering the deceased and continuing to assault him while he was helpless.
She stressed that while the law allows private citizens to arrest suspects without a warrant under certain circumstances, it does not permit mob justice or violent punishment.
Meanwhile, the same High Court is nearing completion of the murder trial of Mahlomola Moholisa and Tekanyo Hlalele, who are accused of killing Teboho Mpeke in Ha-Maputsoe in May 2015.
The pair allegedly assaulted Mpeke after accusing him of stealing a piglet belonging to a local resident.
The Crown’s final witness, Lekhetho Lipholo, testified that Mpeke was assaulted at several locations, including at the chief’s premises and while being taken towards Maputsoe Police Station.
Mr Lipholo further told the court that he intervened and disarmed one of the accused of a sjambok allegedly used to whip Mpeke.
According to his testimony, Mpeke pleaded for mercy and even offered compensation for the alleged theft, but the assault allegedly continued.
Moholisa and Hlalele have denied assaulting Mpeke, maintaining that he cooperated with community members and was never attacked in their presence.
The two men are charged with acting in concert and with a common intention to commit an unlawful act that resulted in Mpeke’s death, in contravention of Section 40(1), read with Section 26(1), of the Penal Code Act of 2010.
The matter is before Justice ’Makampong Mokhoro.
Detective Inspector Mathibe Mathibe, head of criminal investigations in Maputsoe, has appealed to members of the public to hand over suspects to police instead of resorting to mob justice.
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