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Karabo Mokoena's body was burnt beyond recognition when police officers found it in an open field near Corlett Drive, Lyndhurst, in Johannesburg.
This was the testimony of Constable Mokgaetji Mahwete in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
She said next to the body was a blue blanket with blood stains on it and two container lids that apparently smelled of petrol. There was also a plastic bag and a small carpet, also with blood stains.
Read: Mantsoe admitted killing Karabo Mokoena, cop tells court
Mahwete said she received a call while on duty at the Sandringham police station on April 29, 2017. She was told by a passerby that they had found a body in an open field. She said when she got to the scene other officers had already arrived.
"There was man who was working at a construction site that showed them the body.
"The body was burnt beyond recognition. You couldn't even see if it was a woman or a man, but when you look at the toenails there was nail polish and that made us see it was a woman," she told the court.
Not guilty plea
She said the body lay unidentified in the mortuary for several days until a Constable Madisha from Sandton police station confirmed to her on May 10, 2017, that a suspect wanted to point out a crime scene.
Mahwete said she went to the police station where she met Mokoena's mother and Madisha told her that the body they had found was that of Mokoena.
Mahwete is expected to continue with her testimony on Thursday.
Murder-accused Sandile Mantsoe is facing a charge of premeditated murder in the death of Mokoena, who was killed on April 28, 2017.
Mantsoe is also charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm for allegedly assaulting Mokoena on March 27, 2017.
He pleaded not guilty.
Mantsoe, a married father of three, had reportedly been in a romantic relationship with Mokoena since October 2016. It is believed that he and his wife were estranged.
The accused has denied killing Mokoena but, during his bail application, said he disposed of her body after he came home and found that she had committed suicide.
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