Maseru – Retired Lesotho Commissioner of Police Molahlehi Letsoepa was on Monday granted bail by the High Court in Maseru after his previous bail order was overturned by the Court of Appeal in a case that continues to draw regional attention.
Letsoepa is charged alongside other former senior police officers with the murder of Police Constable Mokalekale Khetheng. The High Court, presided over by Justice Mafelile Ralebese, ordered him to pay a bail deposit of M7,000 and directed that he stand trial until finalisation of the matter. The court further ordered that he must not interfere with witnesses and must report to Police Headquarters every last Friday of the month.
The renewed bail ruling follows a complex legal process that began after the High Court initially granted Letsoepa bail on July 3, 2025. Relatives of the late Khetheng challenged that decision before the Court of Appeal, questioning the manner in which the bail proceedings were conducted.
The family argued that the bail hearing had taken place in chambers and not in open court, adding that they were excluded despite having a direct and substantial interest in the matter. The Court of Appeal upheld the challenge, reviewed and set aside the High Court’s earlier bail order and declared the proceedings invalid.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal directed that the matter be sent back to the High Court for the bail application to be heard afresh in open court, in line with standard judicial practice. The appellate court ruled that, unless exceptional circumstances exist, hearing bail applications in chambers is irregular and renders such proceedings void.
Before the High Court proceeded with the fresh bail hearing, it first considered arguments on the meaning of the Court of Appeal order. The prosecution maintained that the order required the matter to be heard by a different judge, while the defence held a different view.
Justice Ralebese ruled in favour of the defence, stating that the Court of Appeal order did not instruct that the bail hearing be placed before another judge. She also ruled that there was no instruction for new or additional papers to be filed, adding that the appeal court only invalidated the hearing and judgment due to procedural flaws, without setting aside the underlying processes.
Letsoepa had been living outside Lesotho since 2017 before returning in 2025, when he reported himself to the authorities and was arrested. He was later released on bail before the decision was challenged by the Khetheng family. Following the successful appeal, he was rearrested and held in custody until the latest ruling.
The murder trial against his co accused retired Senior Superintendent Thabo Tsukulu, Senior Inspector Mothibeli Mofolo, Senior Inspector Mabitle Matona and Sub Inspector Haleokoe Taasoane is already before the High Court and continues, having commenced while Letsoepa was still outside the country.
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