Sotheni found with cellphone while in custody, prosecutor tells court – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader.

The state says Matipandile Sotheni was found in possession of a cellphone while in custody last week.

Prosecutor Trott Mphahlele told the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court that the phone was discovered during a prison search on 2 September.

Mphahlele has alleged the cellphone was used to communicate with someone outside the correctional facility and is seeking more time to analyse its data and establish whether it is linked to the murder case.

Sotheni is accused of the contract killing of Marius van der Merwe, better known as Witness D, who appeared before the Madlanga Commission.

Mphahlele explains: “They found the three cell phones, and then one cellphone in particular could directly be linked to the accused. The discussion that they were privy to in their preliminary investigations confirmed that it is the accused who was communicating with an individual outside the correctional facility.”-Reporting by Culvin Mabasa