The Diepkloof police officer who had arrested and questioned murder accused Sandile Mantsoe testified in the South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, that Mantsoe had confessed to the murder of Karabo Mokoena.
Captain Bhekisisa Mhlongo said they arrested Mantsoe at his Sandton Skye apartment on 10 May last year, and he was charged with kidnapping because of the CCTV footage they had seen in the security office.
Mhlongo told the court during his testimony that when the family opened a missing person’s case at the station, police accompanied the family to look for her, but Mantsoe was not there, so they were waiting for him.
While waiting, Mhlongo told the court they went to the CCTV camera room and viewed footage that showed Mantsoe and Karabo entering the apartment building at around 2am on 28 April, but Karabo was not seen leaving the building. He said only Mantsoe was seen on the same date, at around 9.57pm, going out and coming back with a waste bin – he is later seen leaving, pushing it with some sort of linen sticking out.
Mhlongo said when Mantsoe finally arrived, they went to the apartment and searched for Mokoena but only found a wet carpet with blood stains underneath.
Mhlongo said they arrested him and took him to the Morningside Police Station where he had a chat with Mantsoe who confessed that he had killed Mokoena.
“I then went to fetch the papers to take his official statement, but he overturned (sic) his confession,” said Mhlongo.
Diepkloof police officer Bhekisisa Mhlongo after testifying at the South Gauteng High Court on Sandile Mantsoe’s murder trial of the slain Karabo Mokoena.
“He denied telling me he had killed Karabo. I didn’t force him to confess because it is his right and it was only the two of us in the interrogating room.”
Mhlongo maintained that Mantsoe was not assaulted or forced to make the confession, but did so voluntarily.
The officer insisted to Judge AJ Johnson that Mantsoe had confessed to the murder after he had read him his rights and told him that this can be used against him in court. “In his reply, he said he understands,” said Mhlongo. Asked by Mantsoe’s lawyer if he had warned him that he also had a right to have his lawyer present, Mhlongo confirmed that he had done so, as the law requires.
Mantsoe, who took the stand for the first time on day three of his murder trial, denied confessing to Mhlongo but confessed to moving the body and disposing of it.
Judge AJ Johnson asked Mantsoe if he had known why he was being arrested and taken to the police station. Mantsoe replied that he did not know.
“Didn’t you know why you were arrested and also you didn’t know that you did anything wrong?” asked Judge Johnson.
He asked Mantsoe if he didn’t know that they were looking for Mokoena, and Mantsoe confirmed that he knew but he was never told why he had been arrested.
“But you did remove Karabo’s body and dispose of it?” Judge Johnson added that alone was wrong.
The trial continues in the South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg.
Details: www.npa.gov.za
Our journalist @ThaboJobo was tweeting from court:
While they were still at the Diepkloof police station they were informed that #KaraboMokoena’s sister had found an ID and a passport from a cleaner at Sky apartment
Officer Maseko testifies that the manager contacted the accused to inform him the police were looking for him but he told them he was in Lyndhurst #SandileMantsoe#KaraboMokoena
They then looked at the footage which she say it showed both #KaraboMokoena and #SandileMantsoe entering the lift to their Skye apartments on 28 April around 2am
Judge AJ Johnson suggest that there should be a trial within a trial because the admission of the murder is now being disputed #SandileMantsoe#KaraboMokoena
Judge Johnson tells the court that he has heard the arguments during a trial within a trial and he will give his findings at the end of the trial #KaraboMokoena
Next to the body there were two container lids and when he smell them they had a petrol smell and there were blankets with blood stains as well as a plastic bag again next to the body #KaraboMokoena
She says the body was at the mortuary until it was identified on 10 May when the suspect wanted to take the police and the family where the body was dumped #KaraboMokoena
