Sesi Sibanyoni’s decomposing body was discovered in her Maitland flat three days after she was visited by her boyfriend, Abraham Mtsweni. Picture: Supplied
Cape Town - The police officer who discovered the decomposing body of Sesi Sibanyoni testified in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.
Abraham Mtsweni has been charged with two counts of rape and murder of his girlfriend, after Sibanyoni’s body was found in her Maitland flat on July 29, 2019, three days after he had visited her from Pretoria.
Sampie Evertson was the first police officer to arrive at the scene after Maitland police station received complaints from Sibanyoni’s friends and colleagues that she was not responding to calls, or to visitors outside her flat.
The police officer said when he arrived at her flat the door was locked. When he entered the flat there was a strong smell which caused immediate alarm. He then proceeded directly to the bedroom where he found Sibanyoni’s body covered with blankets.
Evertson told the court, only her head was visible, her face was swollen and he could see mucus and blood in her nose and blood from her mouth. He noticed that she was wearing only a grey robe and a top. He also noticed that there were blue marks on her stomach. At that point, it was clear to him that she was dead.
He then went into the living room where he found a bloodied blanket on a couch. He surveyed the room and also found the steel point of a knife with more blood on it. The black handle of the knife was in a corner. He also found an empty brandy bottle and a mobile phone at the crime scene.
It is the State’s case that Mtsweni strangled Sibanyoni to death. Mtsweni admitted that he was in Cape Town to see her and that they had an argument in her flat, but said other people were also present.
Sibanyoni was arrested after he was involved in a car accident on his way back to Pretoria. The police found the key to Sibanyoni’s flat in the vehicle.
During proceedings, State advocate Christopher Burke said the defence had been delaying the matter, and a number of state witnesses were awaiting cross-examination by the defence.
In response, defence counsel Teboho Sebogodi said that during the trial he was limited by the court in his cross examination and needed the opportunity to properly interrogate the witnesses.
Judge Babalwa Mantame postponed the matter to February 16 to allow the defence to track down these witnesses.
rafieka.williams@inl.co.za