Tatenda Mhlanga, a 33-year-old Zimbabwean, and Johannes Lebese, a 53-year-old South African, have been taken into custody on suspicion of killing, decapitating, and mutilating the body of their boyfriend.
On Monday, November 20, 2023, Mhlanga and Lebese from Watville made their appearance before the Benoni Magistrates’ Court in Gauteng, South Africa.
They are accused of killing someone and abusing a corpse.
In a statement on Tuesday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) verified the event.
“The two are said to have been stopped by the crime prevention wardens on November 11, 2023, carrying a suitcase,” stated Lumka Mahanjana, the NPA Regional Spokesperson for the Gauteng Division in Pretoria.
“When the two opened the luggage at the request of the wardens, they discovered the upper body and human head of Obert Mazadza, 42, a Zimbabwean national who was also Mhlanga’s ex-boyfriend.
“It is said that the wardens phoned the police after finding the body parts.
“The Community Policing Forum (CPF) arrived and stated that they had discovered other body parts at a nearby dumping site while the police were still busy investigating the area.
“Mhlanga turned herself in to the police the following day, on November 12, 2023, after fleeing while the wardens were searching the bag. Lebese was caught on the spot.
“In court, Mhlanga abandoned her bail application, and the matter was postponed to 24 November 2023, for Lebese’s formal bail application.”