Lehlohonolo Makotoane, 42, the husband of the late South African Magistrate and Acting Judge Mamello Thamae, has been extradited to South Africa under heavy escort by the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS).
He is set to face charges for allegedly murdering his wife in the Free State Province late last year. The formal extradition took place at the Maseru Bridge yesterday.
Makotoane is accused of brutally beating his wife to death on September 21 at their Heilbron home. After the murder, he allegedly placed her body in the trunk of his car and drove to Mokhotlong, Lesotho, intending to dispose of her remains. It is believed that Makotoane suspected his wife of infidelity and that her alleged lover may have influenced her decision to file for divorce. Both Makotoane and Ms Thamae were originally from Lesotho.
Deputy Police Spokesperson, Inspector 'Mareabetsoe Mofoka, confirmed the extradition, stating that Makotoane was handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) to face charges of murder in the neighbouring country.
"Makotoane had planned to dispose of his wife's body in the hills of Mokhotlong to conceal evidence, but fortunately, the police intervened in time," Inspector Mofoka said.
According to Inspector Mofoka, Makotoane had checked into a guest house in Mokhotlong with the intention of disposing of his wife's body the following morning. However, he was arrested before he could carry out his plan. He was subsequently charged with murder and appeared before the Mokhotlong Magistrate's Court, where he was remanded in custody awaiting extradition.
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Inspector Mofoka further explained that while Makotoane had entered Lesotho through the Caledonspoort Border Post, the authorities chose to extradite him via the Maseru Bridge post.
Upon Makotoane's arrest last year, then acting police spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Kabelo Halahala, had said the alleged murderer had been remanded in custody by the Mokhotlong Magistrate's Court while awaiting extradition processes.
SSP Halahala revealed that Makotoane "confessed" to the murder during interrogation. According to his confession, Makotoane killed his wife after a heated argument over her mobile phone, which escalated when he accused her of infidelity. After killing her, he allegedly hid her body in the trunk of his car and drove to Lesotho the following day, crossing the Caledonspoort Border Post into the Butha-Buthe district after concealing her body under a pile of bags.
In the wake of Magistrate Thamae's tragic death, the South African chapter of the International Association of Women Judges (SAC-IAWJ) strongly condemned gender-based violence. In a statement, the SAC-IAWJ expressed shock and disbelief over the loss of Magistrate Thamae, describing her as a dedicated and passionate legal professional who played a significant role in upholding the rule of law in South Africa.
"South Africa continues to be one of the most violent countries in the world regarding the safety and protection of women and girls. We strongly disapprove of such inhumane activities and call upon the South African Police to conduct a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation into Regional Magistrate and Acting Judge Thamae's untimely death," the statement read.
