Investigating officer to give evidence in 'Masoyi Monster' murder trial

The Mpumalanga high court is on Wednesday expected to hear evidence from an investigating officer in the trial against multiple murder accused Julius Mndawe.

Mndawe, who is dubbed the "Masoyi Monster", pleaded guilty to five counts of murder on Tuesday. 

He is accused of killing and burying four teenagers and a 24-year-old in shallow graves in his yard in Masoyi, outside of Hazyview, between 2018 and 2019. 

Mndawe was arrested in July 2019 after the killing of Tokie Tloka, 24, and was linked to her disappearance through Facebook inboxes after the deceased's sister managed to open her account and see who she was talking to prior to her disappearance. 

Mndawe then pointed out the graves of Noxolo Mdluli, 17, Banele Khoza, 15, Felicia Ndlovu, 17, Nomthandazo Mdluli, 19, and Tloka, much to the shock of the community. 

On top of each grave, Mndawe had either planted fruit trees or vegetables.

Their bodies were decomposed and DNA tests had to be conducted. 

To date, Mdluli and Ndlovu have not yet been buried as police are still waiting for results from a laboratory in Switzerland because the results they received from a local facility were inconclusive. 

Mndawe, have since opted to use state lawyers after changing legal representatives several times since his arrest.

He also faces charges of concealment of deaths. 

The state has since withdrawn five charges of robbery. 

Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in in the province Monica Nyuswa told Sowetan that they are intending to bring the investigating officer to testify.