TRIAL AGAINST MAN FOUND WITH BODY PARTS BEGINS
The trial against Flavio Hlabangwane resumed in the High Court of South Africa Gauteng Local Division, Johannesburg with the State provisionally granted an application to tender hearsay evidence.
Hlabangwane pleaded guilty to killing Tshepang Pitse and thereafter dismembering her body parts to store inside a fridge. He faces charges of murder, defeating/obstructing the administration of justice and violation of a corpse.
The prosecutor, Senior State Advocate Johan Badenhorst accepted the plea on two of the charges, except for the murder charge. Adv. Badenhorst cited that it was prudent for the state to tender evidence to expand on the allegations levelled against the accused. He further added that it was important for the court to hear evidence about the nature of relationship the accused had with Pitse, so it can assess and evaluate the evidence in its entirety.
The court heard evidence from the first state witness who confirmed that she was Pitse’s friend. The trial continues on Thursday, 26 January 2023.
