Lefa Mabusane, a notorious double-murder accused in Lesotho, has been sentenced to six years in prison, with three years suspended for two years, for aggravated assault on Mpho Matholi. The sentencing was handed down by Maseru Magistrates' Court Magistrate Lerato Ntelane. Mabusane was convicted of assaulting Matholi in 2024, after pleading guilty to the charge. His lawyer, Advocate Lepeli Molapo, had argued that the facts admitted by Mabusane did not establish aggravated assault.
According to the court, the incident occurred on April 14, 2024, when Mabusane allegedly strangled Matholi for close to an hour and threatened to kill her. The case arose after Mabusane and Matholi met at a shop at Maseru Mall and later connected on Facebook. On the day of the incident, Mabusane arrived in a black Golf and Matholi got into the vehicle. They drove to her home and later Mabusane asked her to accompany him to Naleli, where he allegedly committed the assault.
The Crown Counsel, Advocate Moeketsi Tšolo, told the court that Mabusane had asked Matholi to kiss him, and when she refused, he told her he was going to kill her. He then proceeded to strangle her until she could not breathe. Matholi managed to escape and reported the matter to the police the following day. The medical report recorded bruises to Matholi's head, tenderness and bruising to her neck, and bruises on her knees, classified as resulting from moderate force.
The defense argued that the injuries did not amount to serious bodily injury or permanent disability and therefore did not satisfy the requirements for aggravated assault. However, Magistrate Ntelane rejected this argument, finding that Mabusane's conduct and the circumstances surrounding the assault demonstrated his intention to cause serious bodily harm. The court recognized gender-based violence as a serious crime while also taking into account that Matholi did not suffer serious physical injuries.
In her judgment, Magistrate Ntelane also rejected the suggestion that Mabusane's guilty plea was necessarily an expression of remorse, finding that he appeared to have believed that he could ultimately be acquitted. Mabusane was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with three years suspended for two years on condition that he is not convicted of a similar offence during the suspension period.
Mabusane is also facing trial for the murders of nurses Mpho Khutsoane and Mathebane Ramatabooe in the High Court. The nurses were allegedly killed at Ha Mosalla, Thaba-Bosiu, on August 11, 2014. He is also charged with robbing Khutsoane of her blue Volkswagen Golf 4. Mabusane's murder trial has been postponed to December 1, 2026, after the Crown reported difficulties tracing three witnesses.
Mabusane was granted bail in the murder case in June 2024 but remained in custody in connection with the Matholi assault matter. The assault case previously raised questions about how Mabusane came to be walking free despite prosecutors believing he was still in custody. In July, the prosecution discovered that he was no longer at the Lesotho Correctional Service remand facility, despite the authorities' understanding that he remained incarcerated.
Key points
- Lefa Mabusane sentenced to 3 years in prison for aggravated assault on Mpho Matholi.
- Mabusane's conviction and sentencing follow a guilty plea and arguments from the defense and prosecution.
- Mabusane also faces trial for the murders of two nurses and robbery.
