Moorosi Tsiane
THE Transformation Resource Centre (TRC)’s Director, Peshoane Tsikoane, has officially been cleared of the sexual assault charges that have haunted him since 2022.
Mr Tsikoane had been accused of sexually assaulting four former TRC employees; Itumeleng Tsukuhali, Lerato Pharoe, Mapitso Moeketsi, and Masenono Letsie, between January 2018 and December 2021. The prominent civil rights activist was first charged on 4 July 2022, when he appeared before Maseru Magistrate ’Mamorojele Qoo, who released him on free bail.
From the onset, Mr Tsikoane challenged the legitimacy of the case, asserting that police investigations had been compromised and had then sought to refer the matter to the Constitutional Court for interpretation on whether he could be legally charged under the circumstances.
However, Magistrate Qoo dismissed his bid, ruling that his lawyer at the time, Advocate Christopher Lephuthing, had failed to meet the requirements under Sections 128 (1) and 22 (3) of the Constitution.
An unrelenting Mr Tsikoane escalated the matter to the High Court, where Justice Fumane Khabo granted an interim order stopping the trial until his constitutional challenge was resolved.
The case dragged on, marked by repeated delays.
On 25 July 2022, Mr Tsikoane requested access to the police docket to build his defence, but the Crown would not provide it.
Then, on 29 January 2025, now represented by Attorney Monaheng Rasekoai, he renewed his request but although the Crown did not oppose it, the docket was not provided.
Justice Khabo then issued a directive on 20 March 2025, ordering the prosecution to provide the defence with the docket and all relevant documents within seven days.
When the Crown again failed to comply, the judge struck the case off the roll on 3 April 2025, effectively clearing Mr Tsikoane of the charges.
Following the dismissal of the case, Mr Rasekoai wrote to the TRC Board of Directors on 30 June 2025, informing them that Mr Tsikoane had been fully exonerated.
In his letter to the board, Mr Rasekoai wrote: “The battle of Mr Tsikoane was concluded some three years after his fight with state agencies, compromised complainants and supra-national agencies which were both biased and polarised.”
He added that the case had inflicted great harm on Mr Tsikoane’s professional standing and on the image of right organisation he heads.
“Mr Tsikoane has been enduring the pain of running an organisation that has been deprived of donor funding on account of the criminal case that he was facing. He has been operating and running the organisation without any resources for a period of almost two years, to the chagrin of the marginalised members of society who are the primary beneficiaries from the initiatives of TRC.”
In his letter, Mr Rasekoai went on to denounce what he referred to as the dangers of “trial by accusation,” particularly in sexual assault cases, and the damage for the falsely accused.
“This case is a classic case of the ripple effects of a trial by accusation in sexual assault cases and the challenges faced by men accused of sexual offences. The reality remains that there will be some who will be unwilling or unable to disbelieve a false accusation by a woman regardless of the evidence and lack thereof.
“There will also be others who are aware of false accusations but (are) unwilling to stand firm in favour of justice due to the enormous burden of political incorrectness.
“Mr Tsikoane did everything legal and ethical to clear his name and prove complicity with evil. His battle was not only his, but of those many men who have been falsely accused by evil and vindictive women. It was and is a battle for justice and a struggle for those who bear false witness.”
The TRC has not yet issued a formal statement in response to Mr Tsikoane’s exoneration.
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