Karabo Mokoena’s jailed murderer linked to fraud case

The man convicted and sentenced for the murder of Karabo Mokoena has been “requisitioned from Bloemfontein prison” to face a fraud case in Mpumalanga.

Sandile Mantsoe was linked to an “investment fraud case in Evander”, according to the Hawks.

Mpumalanga Hawks captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said Mantsoe, as the sole owner of Trillion Dollar Legacy investment scheme, allegedly “visited many government offices including [the] department of justice, municipality offices and department of education where he recruited about 180 investors to invest over R2m for a higher return on investment".

“It is further alleged [Mantsoe] did not make a payment to his clients as promised and the victims reported the matter at Evander police station on December 27 2016.”

The case was then referred to the Hawks' Middelburg-based serious commercial crime investigation unit for further examination and “during investigation it was established that the accused was in Bloemfontein prison serving [his murder sentence].

“After the case was finalised, it was presented before the Evander regional court where a subpoena was issued for him to appear on August 22, hence his appearance.

“The case was postponed to September 27 for further investigation. He was remanded in custody,” Sekgotodi told TimesLIVE.

In 2018, Mantsoe, 33, was sentenced to more than 30 years imprisonment for murdering his girlfriend and then setting her body alight in a ditch in Sandhurst.

When Mokoena was reported missing, posters and the family's pleas for assistance were shared on social media. 

At his trial, Mantsoe alleged he had not killed Mokoena, that she had committed suicide at his Sandton apartment. He said he disposed of her body as he feared he would be blamed. 

TimesLIVE