A social media flurry arose recently when a post claimed a sighting of Sandile Mantsoe, convicted for the murder of his girlfriend Karabo Mokoena, in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
Sandile Mantsoe was not released, still in prison
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This sighting has since been debunked by the Department of Correctional Services, which confirmed that Mantsoe remains incarcerated at the Standerton Correctional Centre.
Mantsoe, sentenced to 32 years for a chilling murder case linked to a purported “money ritual,” has not been released.
The Department of Correctional Services revealed that he shares a room with seven other charged offenders, totalling eight inmates in the cell.
He is slated to appear in court again on 18 October 2023 at the Evander Magistrates’ Court concerning a 2016 fraud case, currently under the scrutiny of the Mpumalanga Hawks.
The fraud case unravels a scheme where Mantsoe allegedly enticed 180 individuals to invest over R2 million, promising high returns through his Trillion Dollar Legacy Investment Scheme.
Dineo Sekgotodi, from Mpumalanga Hawks, outlined the scheme’s outreach to various government offices including the Department of Justice, municipality offices, and the Department of Education for recruiting investors.
The promised returns were, however, not fulfilled, leaving the investors in loss.
How Mantsoe killed Karabo Mokoena
Reflecting on the harrowing murder case, Mantsoe was found guilty in 2017 of the murder of his 22-year-old ex-girlfriend, Karabo Mokoena.
The High Court in Johannesburg adjudged that Mantsoe had stabbed Mokoena, attempting to mask the crime by incinerating her remains.
Although Mantsoe denied the murder charges, he admitted to disposing of Mokoena’s body, alleging he found her dead by suicide upon returning home.
Mokoena’s tragic end was discovered when her charred remains were found in a shallow grave in a deserted Johannesburg field, following a missing person’s report filed by her family in April of the preceding year.
The evidence revealed a gruesome assault, acid dousing, and subsequent burning of her body.
The police reported a confession by Mantsoe, claiming the murder as part of a ritual intended to prosper his business.
However, during the trial, he maintained his innocence, asserting his intent was to be a positive influence in Mokoena’s life.
This case, reflecting a grievous reality of violence against women, stirred a massive public outcry, notably among women who resonated with the hashtag “MenAreTrash”, highlighting South Africa’s alarming rates of rape and femicides.