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Probe into murder-accused Mantsoe’s claims that warders assaulted him

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Murder accused, Sandile Mantsoe, denies killing Karabo Mokoena. Picture: Leon Sadiki/City Press
Murder accused, Sandile Mantsoe, denies killing Karabo Mokoena. Picture: Leon Sadiki/City Press

The correctional services department will investigate claims that prison warders beat up Sandile Mantsoe, the man accused of murdering his girlfriend Karabo Mokoena.

Mantsoe’s lawyer, Victor Simelane, made the claim in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Monday.

He alleged that the incident took place in Johannesburg Prison on March 5.

“My client was severely assaulted and I am having a hard time with police investigating it,” Simelane said.

Judge Colleen Collis said the correctional services department would look into the alleged assault.

The 27-year-old was charged with the murder of Mokoena, who was killed on April 28 2017.

Mantsoe has also reportedly been charged with assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, for allegedly assaulting Mokoena on March 27 last year.

The matter was postponed to April 16 last week, after state advocate Pakanyiswa Marasela told the court that new evidence had come to light.

Since the expert who needed to go through the evidence was in Durban, Marasela requested a postponement.

Simelane said he had only been informed of the new evidence on Monday morning.

“I need every piece of evidence. I can’t properly represent my client until I have all the evidence,” he added.

According to Judge Collis, two pieces of evidence were still outstanding. One was expected to be received on Monday afternoon.

Mokoena’s charred remains were discovered in an open veld in Lyndhurst, Johannesburg, after her family and friends launched a search operation when she went missing.

They searched for her at Mantsoe’s Sandton apartment, but it is alleged that he told them that he had not seen her since they broke up in April.

Mantsoe, a married father of three, was reportedly in a romantic relationship with Mokoena since October 2016.

It is believed that he and his wife were estranged.

The accused has denied killing Mokoena but, during his bail application, said he disposed of her body after he came home and found that she had committed suicide.

CCTV footage from Mantsoe’s apartment allegedly showed that they had been together on the night Mokoena went missing.

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