RUSTENBURG: A case against a 34-year-old man accused of killing his girlfriend and burying her in a shallow grave was deferred at the Moretele Magistrate’s Court in Temba on Thursday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.
NPA spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame, said the case against Samuel Noko was deferred to March 4 for a formal requisition by the state.
“He failed to appear in court and no reasons were provided by the correctional services department,” he said.
Noko is charged with murder, defeating the ends of justice and rape. He allegedly murdered Monni Monyeki, 29, and buried her in a shallow grave near a river in Mathibestad.
According to police reports, Monyeki was reported missing by her aunt on May 29 in 2021, the last person she was seen with was Noko who was allegedly her boyfriend.
The two allegedly left together to perform some rituals and shortly afterwards, Noko was spotted pushing Monyeki in a wheelbarrow after she had consumed a substance that made her dizzy. She allegedly disappeared after this incident.
“Police investigations led them to Noko on 12 June, 2021, he pointed them to a shallow grave where he had buried Monyeki and upon her discovery, some of her body parts were missing.“
Mamothame said the rape charge against Noko was about the alleged crime that was reported to the police by a 14-year-old girl related to Monyeki. The rape incident allegedly took place at the time when Monyeki was missing.
In another case, Mamothame said the case against Oupa Nkele, 41, was postponed at the Mankwe Magistrate's Court in Mogwase for bail application. He is charged with attempted murder and rape.
"Nkele opted to submit an affidavit instead of taking a stand in his bid to be granted bail. The State will oppose bail and call the investigating officer to explain the reason why the accused should not be granted bail."
The case was postponed to January 26.
“Preliminary police reports revealed that Nkele, who is currently separated from his wife, called and arranged for them to meet to discuss an urgent matter. As per the agreement, he collected the wife from her parental home on Wednesday afternoon, 29 December, 2021. He then drove towards a local mall, but changed directions and headed to their house at Lerome village near Mogwase outside Rustenburg.
“An argument ensued after the pair arrived in Lerome, Nkele allegedly assaulted and strangled the wife with a rope, then poured petrol over her and eventually raped her. Subsequently, he allegedly forced the victim into his car and drove away with her but the victim managed to unlock the car and jumped out.”
According to the police report, she received assistance from a Good Samaritan who took her to the police station where charges of attempted murder and rape were laid, leading to the arrest of Nkele on December 30, 2021.
IOL