A defence witness in Lesotho’s long‑running trial of nine soldiers accused of murdering former army commander Maaparankoe Mahao has told the High Court that former prime minister Thomas Thabane was among the people behind a 2015 army mutiny plot.
Retired major general Tumo Lekhooa, a former military intelligence officer and ex‑director general of the National Security Service, testified that the mutiny plan involved senior figures from the All Basotho Convention, the Basotho National Party (BNP) and the Reformed Congress of Lesotho, who allegedly met at State House after the February 2015 elections to discuss rejecting the poll outcome and mobilising soldiers.
Lekhooa said the mutiny was coordinated internally by BNP leader Thesele ‘Maseribane, while then police commissioner Khothatso Ts’ooana allegedly pledged weapons, ammunition and personnel.
He told the court that Thabane, who fled to South Africa in 2015 citing insecurity, publicly declared he was supporting soldiers who had gone into exile and promised to secure their return and reinstatement if he regained power.
According to Lekhooa, that promise was fulfilled in 2017 when Thabane returned to office and the soldiers were promoted after their mutiny cases were dissolved.
The witness said army intelligence concluded that the mutiny had both internal and external dimensions and accused political parties and NGOs of spreading propaganda to deny its existence, using terms such as “kidnapping” and “abduction” to incite public fear.
He claimed the climate of insecurity forced some Basotho to flee the country.
Lekhooa, who faces similar charges of mutiny and treason dating back to 2014, fled Lesotho in 2017 before his own trial began and returned in 2025 when he was arrested and later granted bail.
The testimony forms part of the defence case, which has been before the court since January after an unsuccessful bid for discharge.
Several witnesses, including soldiers who were present during the June 2015 shooting, have already testified.
The accused – among them former army commander Tlali Kamoli – are charged with murdering Mahao as well as attempted murder, theft and unlawful damage to property.
The case continues before Justice Charles Hungwe.
JN/APA