Lekhooa fingers Maseribane, Tšooana in alleged 2015 LDF mutiny plot 

Moorosi Tsiane 

FORMER Military Intelligence chief, retired Major General (Maj-Gen) Tumo Lekhooa, has accused former Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Chief Thesele Maseribane and former Police Commissioner Khothatso Tšooana of being behind the alleged 2015 Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) mutiny plot to overthrow then commander, Tlali Kamoli’s command. 

This then resulted in an army operation which led to the killing of former commander, Lieutenant General Maaparankoe Mahao. 

Lt-Gen Mahao was gunned down by soldiers at Ha-Lekete, Mokema, on 25 June 2015. 

Maj-Gen Lekhooa made the allegations while testifying as a defence witness in the ongoing trial of former army commander Lt-Gen Tlali Kamoli and his co-accused, who are facing charges relating to Lt-Gen Mahao’s murder. 

The retired intelligence chief told the court that the alleged mutiny plot first came to his attention in 2015 after then army commander Lt-Gen Khoantle Motšomotšo summoned him to discuss intelligence reports suggesting that a group of soldiers was planning to assassinate then Brigadier, now Major General, Ramanka Mokaloba. 

According to Maj-Gen Lekhooa, he initially knew nothing about the alleged plot until Lt-Gen Motšomotšo instructed him to urgently consult Major Bulane Sechele, who was said to possess detailed information. 

“General Motšomotšo said we should speedily meet with Major Bulane Sechele as he was the one who had all the details pertaining to the mutiny plot. 

“I then called Sechele but when I talked to him I sensed that he was not comfortable. I asked him about what General Motšomotšo had said and he gave me the details. I was a little sceptical at first because he did not reveal who his source was, but I asked him if he knew his source and he said he did. 

“I said he must come to my office so that we can discuss the matter, but he asked that we meet at a neutral venue for security reasons.” 

Maj-Gen Lekhooa said he agreed to the request without hesitation. 

“I did not hesitate. I went to the place he had suggested. When we met I asked him if the source could meet with me so that I could clear some doubts. He said he was not sure but he could try to convince him, and eventually the source agreed to meet with me.” 

The witness told the court that the source confessed to being part of the alleged conspiracy before deciding to expose it. 

“The source said he was part of the mission but his conscience couldn’t let him continue with the plan and that was when he decided to inform Sechele. 

“He said one soldier by the name of Makhabane, who worked in the transport department, was given the task of taking Mokaloba from his office in Makoanyane. 

“Makhabane was to do this when he was not at work so that it would not raise any suspicions. He said the reason Mokaloba and other Special Forces officers were targeted was because they wanted to start off by cutting the snake from the head.” 

Maj-Gen Lekhooa said the source described how the alleged conspirators closely monitored Maj-Gen Mokaloba’s movements before planning to ambush him. 

“The source said with constant surveillance on Maj-Gen Mokaloba they realised that he left his office at around 10pm and they decided that they would ambush him. 

“The source said they chose two killing zones, one near Makoanyane Military Hospital and the other near the vicinity of his residence. However, on the day he was to be ambushed he left his office very late and the ambush failed.” 

Maj-Gen Lekhooa then made the most startling allegation of his testimony, claiming that the informant directly implicated Chief Maseribane and Mr Tšooana. 

“The source said Chief Maseribane was the planner and coordinator of the mutiny. He also mentioned former Police Commissioner Tšooana, whom he said had pledged to supply them with weapons, ammunition and personnel.” 

Maj-Gen Lekhooa said he immediately reported the findings to Lt-Gen Motšomotšo. 

“On the following day I went to the office of Motšomotšo to give him feedback. He said he was going to forward the matter to his principals, the Minister of Defence Tšeliso Mokhosi and the Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.” 

He testified that Lt-Gen Motšomotšo had already begun assembling a special task force to neutralise the alleged threat. 

According to Maj-Gen Lekhooa, the late army commander intended to arrest everyone implicated in the alleged mutiny, regardless of rank. 

“General Motšomotšo said he was already in the process of assembling a task team to organise and perform specified tasks, including arresting anyone involved in the mutiny, including himself and anyone else regardless of rank.” 

He further testified that Lt-Gen Motšomotšo wanted the operation carried out swiftly before the alleged mutineers could execute their plans. 

“General Motšomotšo said Mokaloba was out of the country and therefore he would instruct other officers to carry out the operation in the interim. He said Mokaloba had performed well in 2007 in stopping the insurgency.” 

Maj-Gen Lekhooa said Military Intelligence widened its investigations to establish the true scale of the alleged conspiracy and whether those involved had the capacity to execute it. 

“As the intelligence unit we cast our net wider to get information. We wanted to understand whether the mutineers had the capacity to carry out the mutiny. The level of training of the mutineers, planning, selection of high-value targets, the supply of weapons and the involvement of Chief Maseribane as a politician pointed to the capability to carry out the mutiny. 

“We wanted to establish the hidden relations between the LDF members and the people outside the army given the involvement of Chief Maseribane. When reconstructing the course of events we found out that after the elections there were meetings held at State House where the issue of refusing to accept the outcome of the elections was discussed. 

“The 2015 election results were discussed at length with Reformed Congress of Lesotho leader Keketso Rantšo, Chief Maseribane and the outgoing Prime Minister Thomas Thabane. It was in that meeting that the issue of mobilising soldiers came up, with the key objective being to carry out the mutiny.” 

Maj-Gen Lekhooa further alleged that the plot targeted commanders of the LDF’s elite units in an effort to cripple the military’s ability to respond. 

“They targeted the commanders of the elite units of the LDF in order to dismantle the machinery that kept the government in power. 

“They targeted Mokaloba, Nyakane, Hlehlisi, Tefo Hashatsi, Lt-Col Thato Phaila and Major Ntlele Ntoi. The plan was to degrade the capability of the LDF to react properly and weaken the LDF. 

“The aim was to overthrow the democratic order and, by extension, undermine and subvert Section 9(1) of the Constitution.” 

Lt-Gen Kamoli is standing trial alongside Captain Haleeo Makara, Captain Litekanyo Nyakane, Sergeant Lekhooa Moepi, Sergeant Motsamai Fako, Corporal Marasi ‘Moleli, Corporal Motšoane Machai, Corporal Mohlalefi Seitlheko and Corporal Tšitso Ramoholi. 

The accused face charges of murdering Lt-Gen Mahao and attempting to murder his nephews, Mahao Mahao and Mabilikoe Leuta, who were travelling with him when soldiers allegedly opened fire on their vehicle. 

They also face charges of malicious damage to property after allegedly riddling Lt-Gen Mahao’s white Nissan half-truck with bullets. 

Lt-Gen Kamoli additionally faces charges of stealing Lt-Gen Mahao’s 9mm pistol and Samsung Galaxy cellphone after the fatal shooting. 

Ironically, Maj-Gen Lekhooa is also facing charges in connection with Lt-Gen Mahao’s murder. He was charged in February last year after returning from self-imposed exile in South Africa. 

The trial continues today. 

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