The ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) party in Lesotho has instructed its five members who are wanted in SA for the Soweto tavern massacre to hand themselves over to the SA Police Service (SAPS).
On Wednesday the ABC leader Nkaku Kabi held a press conference in Lesotho where he instructed Terene ya Khosi Mokata leader Sarel “Lehlanya” Sello and his members Tshepiso Elliot Radebe, Thabang Radikatara, Tshidiso Moleko and Keletso Rabasotho to go to SA to face the music. The suspects are being harboured in Lesotho.
The five men believed in to be hiding in Lesotho, are wanted by SAPS for the murder of 16 people at Mdlalose's tavern in Soweto on July 10. The mass killings happened when a group of armed men, who were targeting another gang member, walked into the tavern and randomly shot at patrons, injuring seven other people.
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The group are also members of the ruling ABC party in Lesotho and they have said they have assisted the party to recruit 40,000 new members ahead of next month's general elections.
“I will do anything and even arrange that they be picked up at the border if need be,” Kabi told journalists. “These men are being used at some certain level, there is a hand that’s using these guys and as members of my party I am calling out to them to go to South Africa and hand themselves over for investigations today (Wednesday), failing which tomorrow (Thursday) and I can do anything, even make arrangements that they be picked up at the border gate.
“I heard that they are being connected to some political party and I am not going to go into that because I don’t have evidence on everything. This is not about other political parties, it is about an official document that has been released by the SA officials for them to go and report themselves. A warrant of arrest has been issued because the time they had been given to have reported themselves has lapsed, which unfortunately I never knew, otherwise I could have started this a long time ago,” Kabi said.
“I am shouting it out again that Ntate Lehlanya and the others who are wanted go to South Africa. I would be very happy if I would be told that you have given your statements even if it means you have to go to court, the courts will prove your innocence. There are lawyers ready to work with you. This will also help people believe that we are not making political statements when we say we want to change Lesotho,” said Kabi.
“For the sake of ABC which is pleading for votes in the elections for the rule of law, please let me arrange with my South African counterparts that they pick you up at the border and take you there. Get it done with and come back.”
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