Mahao Was Not Pointing Gun, Court Told

(MENAFN- The Post) MASERU – THE late Lieutenant General Maaparankoe Mahao was not pointing a gun at soldiers who came to arrest him when he was fatally shot, the High Court heard.

A South African Police Service ballistic expert, testifying for the crown, told the court yesterday that it was possible for Mahao to have been holding a gun ready to shoot as was claimed.

Lieutenant Colonel Christian Mangena told Justice Charles Hungwe that“it was unlikely that the accused soldiers could not have seen Mahao holding a gun pointing at them”.

He said based on the wounds sustained by the late Mahao, it was not possible that he was holding a gun.

Colonel Mangena explained that Lt Gen Mahao sustained three wounds on his right hand arm and from his forensic expertise,“it was not possible that he was holding a firearm because he could have been shot on the ribs”.

“Even the shooters were at close range to have not recognised a person holding a gun,” Lt Col Mangena said.
He said from the wound Lt Gen Mahao obtained during the shooting, it was clear that the bullets had still carried strong power.

“The reason being if the he was shot (from) a far range, the bullet could have lost its powder on air when it explodes,” he said.

While examining the truck which Lt Gen Mahao was using when he met his death, he demonstrated to the court how he was shot, from which position and how he got killed.

The truck was also brought before court with the assistance of the military team.

Lt Col Mangena said Lt Gen Mahao was fatally shot at close range.

He said the person intending to shoot could have raised and extended his hand to aim a weapon.

“Had Mahao done that, the firearm could have been visible to the accused soldiers or it would have been obstructed by the truck's dashboard and steering wheel,” he said.

He further said if Lt Gen Mahao had indeed been holding a firearm before he was shot, it would have been visible from both the front and the sides of the vehicle, bolstering the defence's claim that the accused may have seen the weapon.

This Lt Col Mangena explained while demonstrating to the court using the same truck Mahao was when he met his death.

However, the defence lawyers argued that the people who were in the car with Lt Gen Mahao were not also affected by the gun, showing that if indeed he was shot on the arm with an AK47 they should surely have been injured too.

Attorney Qhalehang Letsika raised a point that from his knowledge, an AK47 firearm could have affected the other people who were claimed to have sat next to Lt Gen Mahao.

“I fail to understand how come the other people were not affected by the shooting,” Attorney Letsika argued.
However, Lt Col Mangena replied that the two people next to Lt Gen Mahao could have bent forward at the time of the shooting to avoid being hit.

“It is normal that when one hears a sound of a gunshot he bends,” he said.

“So it's possible they had bent forward and the bullets passed and missed them hence it knocked on the door pillar,” he said.

He however agreed that had they sat upright or leaned backward, at least one of them could have been hit by the bullet that passed through Lt Gen Mahao's lower arm and exited toward the left rear quarter panel.

'Malimpho Majoro

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