The Kempton Park Magistrate's Court has granted bail to two of the three men accused of handling and selling a smartwatch belonging to Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo, a runner who was found dead along the R21 in September. The two accused, Mongezi Koko and another South African national, were granted R10,000 bail each. The state is opposing bail for the third accused, a Nigerian national whose immigration status is still to be verified by the Home Affairs Department.
According to the court, the smartwatch allegedly changed hands between the three accused before it was eventually sold on Facebook Marketplace. The first accused, who allegedly buys and sells pawned goods, bought the watch from an unidentified individual. He then allegedly sold it to the second accused, who reset the device and linked it to his own Gmail account.
The second accused then allegedly contacted the third accused, who paid R4,000 through a bank transfer and collected the watch three days later. The third accused listed the watch for sale on Facebook Marketplace, where it was eventually bought by another person who could not be linked to the alleged criminal activity.
The three accused face charges related to the alleged theft of Moselakgomo's smartwatch and selling it. However, they have not been charged with her murder, and the proceedings relate only to the alleged handling and sale of her belongings. Moselakgomo's body was found along the R21 in September, after she was reported missing following an afternoon run in Kempton Park.
The court has postponed the matter to October 19. The bail application is part of the ongoing investigation into the handling and sale of Moselakgomo's belongings. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has been working to recover the stolen items and bring those responsible to justice.
Moselakgomo's family has described her as the family's bedrock. Her siblings have spoken out about her death, expressing their shock and grief. The case has garnered widespread attention, with many calling for justice to be served.
The SAPS has made several arrests in connection with Moselakgomo's murder and the handling of her belongings. The case against the five accused of running a Krugersdorp drug lab has been postponed for a bail hearing. In a separate case, a 32-year-old man appeared in court facing 14 murder charges in connection with the Lwandle mass shootings.
Key points
- Two men granted R10,000 bail each for handling and selling a smartwatch belonging to slain runner Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo.
- The smartwatch was sold on Facebook Marketplace after allegedly changing hands between the three accused.
- The state is opposing bail for the third accused, a Nigerian national whose immigration status is still to be verified.
