MASERU-Efforts to reduce the backlog of criminal cases in the High Court are facing fresh setbacks as several accused persons in serious offences, including murder, remain on the run, forcing proceedings to stall yet again.
What had once been described as encouraging progress in clearing long-standing cases is now being undermined by the continued absence of suspects who have either disappeared or crossed into neighbouring South Africa, leaving courts with little choice but to postpone trials.
This week, at least four murder cases called before Justice Tšeliso Mokoko could not proceed because the accused were not present in court. In most of the matters, the dock stood empty.
Only one case, involving Letlaburu Majoro and Kefuoe Mokhothu, had an accused person present. Mokhothu appeared before the court alone, while his co-accused, Majoro, was nowhere to be found.
Addressing the judge, Mokhothu said he had heard that Majoro is currently in Cape Town, South Africa, and has not returned home for some time. His absence meant the matter could not proceed.
The situation was repeated across other cases, as investigating officers detailed unsuccessful attempts to trace the missing suspects. In the matter concerning Hlompho Boi, the court heard that police have made several efforts to locate him, all without success.
Investigating Officer Inspector Sefako testified that he had followed leads suggesting that the accused and his family originate from Tsatsane and also maintain a home at Mount Moorosi, where family gatherings and funerals are often held because Tsatsane is far.
Hoping the suspect might surface during such events, the officer attended the funeral of the accused’s grandmother in October last year.
“I thought he would attend,” Inspector Sefako told the court.
But the accused did not appear.
Still determined to apprehend him, the officer made another attempt earlier this year.
He told the court that on February 1, 2026, he attended the burial of the accused’s brother, who had died more than a month earlier. This time, he said, he even disguised himself to avoid recognition, as he is well known to both the accused and members of the community.
Despite the effort, the accused once again failed to show up.
While at the funeral, the officer gathered new information suggesting that Boi had allegedly scammed several people, including his own relatives, during sheep sales. According to the officer, this may explain why the suspect has been avoiding returning home.
“He is afraid to come back because of those issues,” Inspector Sefako said.
Even so, he assured the court that investigations would continue and that police remain committed to locating him.
Another case involves Likhang Lekena, who is also still at large. No detailed report was presented before the court regarding his whereabouts, except confirmation that he remains a fugitive.
The absence of updates further frustrated attempts to move the case forward.
In yet another matter, the court faced an unusual situation where there was no accused person, no prosecutor and no defence lawyer present.
The case concerns Thabang Molibeli.
With no legal representatives available, a lawyer from the Law Office, who happened to be in court for another matter, had to step in temporarily to assist.
It was revealed that a warrant of arrest had been issued for Molibeli as far back as August 25, 2025, yet he has still not appeared before the court.
The investigating officer assigned to the matter, Sergeant Serabele, was also absent and therefore unable to provide an update on efforts to execute the warrant.
Earlier explanations suggested that Molibeli may not have received his notice of trial. It was also indicated that he works in the mines in South Africa, and that his employer could not release him without proper justification.
However, with no confirmation of his exact location or formal communication with authorities, the case remains in limbo.
Legal observers say such delays are becoming increasingly common in matters involving suspects believed to be outside Lesotho, particularly in South Africa, where tracking and extraditing individuals can prove difficult and time-consuming.
For the court, the repeated postponements not only slow the pace of justice but also prolong uncertainty for victims’ families and witnesses who must wait longer for closure.
Justice Mokoko postponed all the affected matters to August 3, 2026, in the hope that authorities will have made progress in tracing the missing accused by then.
Until the suspects are located and brought before court, the cases cannot move forward.
For now, the empty docks serve as a visible reminder that even as the justice system pushes to clear its backlog, justice itself remains out of reach when the accused simply cannot be found.
