THE Pretoria High Court heard that DNA on a cigarette butt found in the house of a mother who was killed with her two daughters matched one of the murder accused.
Thifhelimbilu Mashau and her daughters, eight-month-old Avheani and four-year-old Adivhaho, were killed at their house in Teresa Park, Pretoria North, in July 2010.
Sipho Masiqa, 34, Raymond Matshaba, 27, and Bradley Molefe, 34, are facing three charges of murder, and of rape,kidnapping and housebreaking.
A forensic expert at the SAPS biology unit, Major Shamil Govan, testified that the DNA matched that of Masiqa. He said the chance of someone having the same DNA was one in 6.8-trillion people.
The court also heard from Constable Simon Tswai how he arrested Matshaba, who he said took him to a bridge over the N17 in Soshanguve, where he found appliances stolen from Mashau's house.
Through his legal representative, Matshaba said his co-accused Masiqa was the one who hid the appliances.