As a result of the death of journalist Ralikonelo Joki on Sunday night, the media community in the Kingdom of Lesotho was filled with sadness.
After leaving the privately held radio station Ts’enolo FM, Joki was shot 13 times. His assassins are still on the loose.
Under the condition of anonymity, local journalists told News24 that they were terrified.
They believe that even if there was a new government, nothing about their safety had changed because one of the kingdom’s most independent voices was murdered.
“The powerful in society seem to continue enjoying impunity, and the police are one of those institutions that should protect us, but as it stands, that’s not the case. As unfortunate as this is, it has presented the police with a chance to redeem itself,” said a journalist in Lesotho.
Through the Lesotho chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), journalists as a group spoke.
“MISA Lesotho is shattered by this incident, which flies in the face of freedom of expression and press freedom. The two are twin cardinal tenants that underpin a functioning democracy, which is the destination of Lesotho,” the group said.
Lesotho has had many changes during the past ten years, all of which are related to a deteriorating democracy.
The National Reform Agenda was established in 2017 as the nation sought to get back on track.
Promoting freedom of expression and association, which included a free press, was one of the goals.
Prime Minister Sam Matekane was widely expected to turn the tide. But the prospects for journalists are fading.
“He’s (Matekane) a fresh pair of hands. He should do something not just for the media but for the country’s peace and security. How can a person be killed like a mafia target in a drive-by shooting? A clear message has to be sent that the old days are gone if they are,” another journalist added.
Tuesday from 22:00 to 4:00 a.m. was declared a national curfew while the Joki’s murder is being investigated by the police, according to Minister of Police Lebona Lephema.
Coordinator of the Africa programme for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Angela Quintal, stated:
“An attempted murder trial after a similar attack on Lesotho Times editor Lloyd Mutungamiri in 2016 has dragged on for years. Authorities must send a clear signal to those who believe they can attack or kill journalists without consequence that, in Joki’s case at least, there will be swift accountability.”
‘Leqhashasha’
Leqhashasha, which roughly translates to “smart and brave,” was Joki’s nickname. He was the host of the prime-time current events programme Hlokoana-La-Tsela, I overheard.
The programme was renowned for its efforts to address issues of corruption, agriculture, and public policy.
He revealed five politicians for their involvement in the illicit booze trade in 2021: Matepo Ramakoae, Lehlohonolo Moramotse, Monyane Moleleki, Mahali Phamotse, and the former first lady Maesaiah Thabane.
As a result of the incident, seven Lesotho diplomats were expelled from South Africa.
He gained adversaries as a result of his tough journalism.
His coworkers informed the CPJ that between March and April of this year, he received threats on Facebook.
They had “every reason to believe he was attacked in relation to his work, following threats on his life on Facebook,” Kananelo Boloetse, chair of the MISA chapter in Lesotho, told CPJ.
