Mohale FM BY: Moorosi Tsiane
FORMER Police Commissioner, Molahlehi Letsoepa, will spend this Christmas in jail after the High Court yesterday reserved judgment on his bail application until 12 January 2026.
Justice Mafelile Ralebese announced the decision yesterday at the end of marathon arguments from both the prosecution’s Advocate Lehlanako Mofilikoane and Letsoepa’s lawyer, Adv Zwelakhe Mda KC, in a case that has reignited legal and public interest following the cancellation of Letsoepa’s August 2025 bail by the Court of Appeal.
Letsoepa is accused of the 2016 murder of Police Constable Mokalekale Khetheng. The bail proceedings, which began on Monday, were initially overshadowed by pre liminary submissions by Adv Lehlanako Mofilikoane, who argued that Justice Ralebese should not preside over the matter for the second time as per a previous Court of Appeal order.
Adv Mofilikoane relied on a 7 November 2025 Court of Appeal ruling which set aside Letsoepa’s August bail after the Khetheng family successfully challenged it.
Through their lawyer, Advocate Christopher Lephuthing, the family argued that the bail hearing had been improperly conducted in chambers, instead of being heard in open court. The apex court agreed, nullifying the bail and sending the matter back to the High Court to be heard afresh.
Letsoepa fled Lesotho in 2017 while under investigation for the killing of PC Khetheng and lived in exile until his return earlier this year. Following his return, he allegedly held meetings with Justice Minister Richard Ramoeletsi and Police Commissioner Advocate Borotho Matsoso before he was put into custody.
