Suspected mother murderer pleads not guilty

By Masilo Malakwane

QWAQWA – Teboho Mokoena, 30, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of the murder of his mother, Modiehi Mokoena, 62, and attempted murder of his father as his bail hearing began at the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrate Court on Tuesday, 21 June.

The suspect will back in court again on Thurday for further bail bid, after the bail hearing was postponed due to power failure.

Modiehi’s body was found dismembered in her garage in Riverside on Monday 06 June.

While requesting for state to grant him bail, Teboho said the court should release him on bail for  safety reasons. He said he felt unsafe in police custody as he was constantly harassed and forced to confess to crimes he did not commit.

He  further complained that the state  should take into consideration the possibility of him contracting airborne diseases from the ‘unbearable stench’ of the blankets that he is forced to sleep with in police cells.

However, the court noted the circumstances in which Teboho was chased by residents after he went into hiding when he realised he was being hunted by police in connection with the tragic murder of his mother.

Opposing the bail, investigator Tshidiso Maleme  told the court that they found the body of Modiehi Mokoena in pieces with her head, limbs and legs all cut off.

He said the deceased was also found with a stab wound on her chest.

Maleme said the weapons believed to have been used to murder Mokoena include a metal sledgehammer, a knife and other tools he could not explain.

Meanwhile, Thabo Mofutsanyana ANC Women’s League, EFF, MAP16 and other organisations have marched to the magistrate court to submit a petition against the release of the accused on bail.

The ANC Women’s League , Chairperson, Masetjhaba Mosia-Lakaje submitted their memorandum of grievances to Phuthaditjhaba Magistrate, Thea Beker.

Beker says she will provide an update after going through the contents of their grievances.

The court was forced to adjourn due to power outages in the courtroom.

The case saw another postponment on Friday, the 24 June to June Thursday 30.