Mantsoe says cop sought bribe
High court to allow murder confession
The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has heard that one of the police officers who arrested murder accused Sandile Mantsoe allegedly attempted to solicit a bribe from him.
Mantsoe told the court yesterday that Captain Bhekisisa Mhlongo had a glimpse into his lifestyle and offered to assist him.
“Firstly, the kind of place where I lived, it’s a high class place... There were thousands of rands in the area where they searched. It’s enough to tell him the kind of person he was dealing with,” he said.
This was heard during a trial within a trial in the case where Mantsoe stands accused of killing his girlfriend Karabo Mokoena in April last year. Her charred remains were found in a ditch.
Mhlongo testified that Mantsoe told him that he killed Mokoena and burned her body. This was disputed by Mantsoe.
“I asked him what he was doing with a dust bin that I saw him pulling in the CCTV footage and he said he killed her and burned her body. I then left to get the papers for him to put it in a statement and when I returned he refused to put it down in a statement,” testified Mhlongo.
Mantsoe claimed he was confused during his arrest and Mhlongo calmed him down.
He said Mhlongo never read him his rights and that he had a casual talk with him in the car on his way to the police station.
Mantsoe alleged that at the police station, Mhlongo asked him to give him something and he would release him.
“He said I see you are a good boy, you work for yourself and you have acquired good things for yourself. He said if you give me a little something we can let you go,” Mantsoe said.
“I asked him what he wanted. He left the room and when he returned he asked me if I would give him something and I said no and he left.”
Prosecutor Michael Hlatshwayo submitted that Mantsoe made the confession voluntarily but Mantsoe’s lawyer advocate Victor Simelane said he did not. He said his client made a confession to another officer, not Mhlongo.
The judge ruled that the confession would be accepted by the court.