Court reverses media blackout in Karabo Mokoena murder case

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An agreement had been reached between Mantsoe's lawyer, the National Prosecuting Authority as well as the Sunday Times, who had challenged the court ruling.

The agreement, read out in court, said: "The order made on 24 May 2017 restricting media coverage of the bail proceedings is rescinded and replaced with the order that follows."

However, the media may not name any of the lay witnesses mentioned during the proceedings.

Last month both the state and the defence team had called on the court to prohibit the media from publishing what they said was "sensitive information", which would be revealed during the bail application.

Mantsoe, a forex trader, was arrested on 10 May in connection with Mokoena's murder.

Her charred remains were found in a ditch in Lyndhurst in April.

She was burnt beyond recognition.

Her family had searched for her for days on end, not knowing that her remains had already been found.

Mantsoe was later arrested and charged with premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice.

In an affidavit he submitted during the bail proceedings, he claimed to have returned to his flat to find that she had committed suicide. He claimed that it was not the first time that she had tried to take her own life.

An affidavit submitted by the investigating officer in the matter, however, painted a different picture.

He claimed that Sandile had confessed to killing Mokoena in a bid to end a blood ritual which had bound them.

The statement from the police officer stated that the ritual was done to boost his business. When the couple parted, his business began to suffer. He reportedly claimed that he had to kill her in order to end the jinx on his business.

When court proceedings adjourned during the bail application, Mantsoe's lawyers stated that they wanted to file a responding affidavit.

Source: The Times