MASERU
The High Court sitting in Maseru this week heard emotional and troubling testimony about a family torn apart long before the tragic death of Martha ’Masechache Rasekoai, whose two daughters, Nthei and ‘Mamphoka Rasekoai, are now standing trial for her murder.
Presided over by Justice ’Maliepollo Makhetha, tension filled the courtroom as witnesses narrated what they described as a long-standing cycle of disrespect, strained relationships and growing fear within the Rasekoai family.
The most emotional testimony came from the deceased’s sister, Lineo Mohau, who took the stand as the third State witness. She told the court that her late sister had long complained about being mistreated by her own daughters.
According to her, the relationship between the deceased and the accused had deteriorated over the years, becoming almost unbearable in the months leading up to her death.
Mohau said her sister would often confide in her that the girls treated her harshly and showed no regard for her authority as their mother.
She further explained that despite their turbulent relationship, the deceased frequently found herself caring for the accused’s young children. She described how the two women would leave their children behind and go out partying, sometimes disappearing throughout the night.
But what made the situation worse, Mohau said, was her sister’s physical condition. The deceased had a dislocated arm, which made tasks like lifting, cooking and chasing after young children extremely painful and difficult.
Yet, even with this limitation, she was repeatedly left with the responsibility of caring for her grandchildren, responsibilities she carried out in tears and frustration.
Mohau said when the daughters eventually returned from their nights out, they would respond rudely and dismissively whenever their mother questioned them. The deceased, she testified, believed that because of her physical weakness, her daughters felt reassured to speak to her in a degrading manner.
“She told me she felt they were using her disability against her,” Mohau told the court, her voice cracking as she recalled the conversations.
The court also heard from Mphula Sekhantšo, the former lover of the accused Nthei Rasekoai. His testimony shifted the focus from the family home to events surrounding the deceased’s actual murder.
Sekhantšo told the court that while he was in a relationship with Nthei, he left his Nissan X-Trail vehicle in her care when he travelled to South Africa for work. He said from 24 July 2022 to 11 August 2022, the period during which the deceased was buried, the car remained with Nthei.
He added that he was later contacted by police and informed that the same vehicle had allegedly been used in the commission of the crime. According to his evidence, the vehicle was seized by police on 6 January, 2023 and has remained in police custody ever since.
His testimony, short but impactful, drew murmurs from the courtroom as it tied a significant piece of physical evidence directly to one of the accused.
Another witness, Ntholi Ntholi, a cousin of the accused sisters, gave chilling evidence about the night after the alleged murder. He told the court that on 25 July, 2022, Nthei arrived at his house late at night in a confused and disoriented state.
According to him, she appeared “dazed,” unable to explain clearly what had happened or why she had come to his house at that hour.
He described her behaviour as deeply unsettling and out of character. His testimony added yet another layer to the unfolding picture, a picture of confusion, secrecy and unexplained movements during the critical hours following the deceased’s murder.
