A cleaner at the luxury Sandton Skye apartments‚ where Karabo Mokoena was allegedly murdered‚ was the last witness to be called to the stand by the State on Thursday.
Tapiwa Majengwa told the High Court sitting in Johannesburg that he had found Mokoena’s ID document and passport in dustbins placed on the fourth floor of the upmarket apartment building.
This was the same floor where Mokoena’s lover and alleged killer‚ Sandile Mantsoe‚ resided.
Majengwa told the court that he found the documents on April 29‚ 2017 — the same day that Mokoena’s charred remains had been found in a ditch in Lyndhurst.
Mantsoe’s defence team had no questions for Majengwa‚ leading to the State closing its case.
Over the last few days‚ the State had also called onto the stand Mokoena’s sister‚ Bontle‚ her friend Stephanie Leong and Puleng Mthethwa as well police officers who were assigned to the case.
Members of the ANC Women’s League have continuously lined the court gallery benches during the proceedings. On Thursday‚ Mokoena’s mother sat amongst them‚ at times shaking her head and whispering comments to the person beside her as Mantsoe’s lawyer posed questions to the witnesses on the stand.
The defence is expected to start presenting its case on Monday and Mantsoe is expected to be one of the witnesses who will be called to the dock.
He has already taken to the stand to testify in a trial-within-a-trial where he was justifying why the court should not accept the alleged admission he made to one of the officers involved in the case.
The officer had alleged that Mantsoe had confessed to killing Mokoena‚ yet changed his tune when he tried to write down the statement.
Mantsoe failed in his bid to have this piece of evidence be admitted as evidence in his trial.
The 28-year-old forex trader is currently on trial for Mokoena’s murder. He has denied killing her‚ saying that she committed suicide by stabbing herself in the neck on April 28‚ 2017. He claimed to have left her in the apartment to attend a meeting and later returned to find her dead on the carpet.
Out of worry that he would be blamed for her death‚ he disposed of her body‚ Mantsoe said.
The married father of three‚ who is estranged from his wife‚ said he drenched Mokoena’s body in pool acid and petrol‚ placed a tyre around her before setting her alight.
One police officer‚ however‚ has testified that Mantsoe had said Mokoena needed to die to break a blood ritual that they had entered into in order to boost his business dealings. The officer alleged that Mantsoe claimed his business had begun to suffer as a result of the two of them splitting up. In order to fix this‚ a sacrifice had to be made and this sacrifice was Mokoena‚ the court heard.
Mantsoe has denied these allegations and has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.
The trial continues on Monday.
Cleaner found Karabo Mokoena’s ID and passport in bins at Mantsoe’s apartment building
Image: Olo Mongale
A cleaner at the luxury Sandton Skye apartments‚ where Karabo Mokoena was allegedly murdered‚ was the last witness to be called to the stand by the State on Thursday.
Tapiwa Majengwa told the High Court sitting in Johannesburg that he had found Mokoena’s ID document and passport in dustbins placed on the fourth floor of the upmarket apartment building.
This was the same floor where Mokoena’s lover and alleged killer‚ Sandile Mantsoe‚ resided.
Majengwa told the court that he found the documents on April 29‚ 2017 — the same day that Mokoena’s charred remains had been found in a ditch in Lyndhurst.
Mantsoe’s defence team had no questions for Majengwa‚ leading to the State closing its case.
Over the last few days‚ the State had also called onto the stand Mokoena’s sister‚ Bontle‚ her friend Stephanie Leong and Puleng Mthethwa as well police officers who were assigned to the case.
Members of the ANC Women’s League have continuously lined the court gallery benches during the proceedings. On Thursday‚ Mokoena’s mother sat amongst them‚ at times shaking her head and whispering comments to the person beside her as Mantsoe’s lawyer posed questions to the witnesses on the stand.
The defence is expected to start presenting its case on Monday and Mantsoe is expected to be one of the witnesses who will be called to the dock.
He has already taken to the stand to testify in a trial-within-a-trial where he was justifying why the court should not accept the alleged admission he made to one of the officers involved in the case.
The officer had alleged that Mantsoe had confessed to killing Mokoena‚ yet changed his tune when he tried to write down the statement.
Mantsoe failed in his bid to have this piece of evidence be admitted as evidence in his trial.
The 28-year-old forex trader is currently on trial for Mokoena’s murder. He has denied killing her‚ saying that she committed suicide by stabbing herself in the neck on April 28‚ 2017. He claimed to have left her in the apartment to attend a meeting and later returned to find her dead on the carpet.
Out of worry that he would be blamed for her death‚ he disposed of her body‚ Mantsoe said.
The married father of three‚ who is estranged from his wife‚ said he drenched Mokoena’s body in pool acid and petrol‚ placed a tyre around her before setting her alight.
One police officer‚ however‚ has testified that Mantsoe had said Mokoena needed to die to break a blood ritual that they had entered into in order to boost his business dealings. The officer alleged that Mantsoe claimed his business had begun to suffer as a result of the two of them splitting up. In order to fix this‚ a sacrifice had to be made and this sacrifice was Mokoena‚ the court heard.
Mantsoe has denied these allegations and has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.
The trial continues on Monday.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos