President of the newly formed Alliance of Democrats (AD) Thuso Litjobo addressing AD supporter from Court on Tuesday
’Marafaele Mohloboli
THE Magistrate Court yesterday threw out a case in which the president of the youth league of the newly-formed Alliance of Democrats (AD) party, Thuso Litjobo was accused of defaming Maseru Urban Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Motlatsi Mapola.
The case was not entertained at all as upon review it was established by the bench that “what Litjobo is alleged to have said did not constitute a criminal offence.”
Mr Litjobo appeared before the Magistrate Court yesterday morning to answer defamation charges against ACP Mapola and was told to come back in the afternoon. He was later told that there was no case to answer for and immediately freed.
Mr Litjobo was arrested on Sunday for allegedly defaming ACP Mapola during an interview on a local radio station where he allegedly said the senior policeman was “politically active.”
He later told this publication that the arrest had not come as a surprise as it was a sign of desperation by a government that would not last beyond the next four months.
“My arrest should not come as a surprise as these are signs of a government that is falling apart, a government that is ailing and left with only four months in power,” Mr Litjobo said.
“I maintain my stance that (ACP) Mapola is a politician disguised in police operations,” Mr Litjobo said, adding he (ACP Mapola) was recently promoted to the rank of ACP as a political motivation and I dare him to refute this”.
However, in an interview with this publication, ACP Mapola refuted Mr Litjobo’s allegations, saying “I would rather advise that he deals with other herd boys and leave police officers out of it”.
“There are some who started like he has and they all had an end,” he added.
Meanwhile, AD spokesperson, Teboho Lehloenya told party supporters who gathered outside the court that “our youth leader was kidnapped because if he were arrested a warrant of arrest ought to have been issued before he was apprehended”.
“He was taken by unknown people who didn’t even identify themselves and just dumped him at Ha Mokhalinyane so that no one would even know who had taken him,” Mr Lehloenya said, adding opposition legislators had to be vigilant at all times as they could be arrested any time.