North West National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Henry Mamothame, says the 34-year-old Samuel Noko appeared before the Moretele Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

His case was postponed to 26 November 2021 for further investigations.

Mamothame says that the accused, who is said to be a pastor belonging to the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), was initially charged with murder, however, an additional charge of rape was added to the docket.

"Samuel Noko's appearance at the Moretele Magistrate’s Court is in relation to alleged murder of Monni Monyeki, who he was allegedly seeing as a lover at the time. He is also charged with raping a relative of Monyeki," he adds.

Mamothame says police reports reveal that Monyeki was reported missing by her aunt on 29 May 2021, and at the time, the last person seen with her was Noko. He says that the two allegedly left together to perform a ritual and shortly afterwards, Noko was spotted pushing Monyeki in a wheelbarrow after she had consumed a substance that made her dizzy.

Mamothame says that Monyeki allegedly disappeared after the incident. According to Mamothame, police investigations led to the accused, who on 12 June 2021, led them to a shallow grave where he had buried Monyeki.

He says upon her discovery, some of her body parts were missing. Mamothame says that the rape charge was added, owing to the alleged crime that was reported to the police by a 14-year-old girl related to the deceased.

He says the rape incident allegedly took place at the time when Monyeki was missing.

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