Items stolen from his alleged victims, including handbags and cellphones, were found in the room of a Qumbu serial-rape and murder accused, the Mthatha high court heard on Friday.
Xolisa Sojada is standing trial on three counts of murder, six charges of rape, five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and one of housebreaking with the intent to commit a crime.
Sojada has pleaded not guilty to the rape, robbery and housebreaking charges.
However, he previously admitted to killing Andiswa Buhlungu, Nolonwabo Grey and Yandiswa Mjanyelwa by strangling them in 2017.
The court has yet to rule on whether his admissions are admissible as evidence.
On Friday, Sergeant Mcebisi Mvambo of the organised crime unit in Mthatha, who was part of a six-member team that investigated the case, took the stand.
Mvambo told the court that while he was fetching the case docket in Qumbu he was informed of a woman who had been murdered in similar circumstances.
“The site was just near the river not far from the dumping site in Qumbu.
"[The] deceased was lying on the ground, on her back. She was wearing a top which was folded up to her breasts. She was naked from the T-shirt downwards,” he said.
Mvambo became emotional when he looked at photographs of the deceased woman.
“She had strangulation marks on her neck. She had bruises in the face.”
He said he later returned to the office in Mthatha, where members of crime intelligence and the tactical response team came to the conclusion that the “cases were committed by one person”.
“It was also clear that the person was using a cellphone to attract his victims.”
“The [perpetrator] used Facebook and WhatsApp. The person called himself Neo Jerry.”
On investigation, the team picked up a number that was frequently dialled by the perpetrator and traced it to a woman (a witness who testified in the case) in Malepelepe.
“We proceeded to her place. We explained to her that we were investigating a certain case that she may assist with.
“She was asked by Captain Mdepa if she knew Neo Jerry and she confirmed knowing him.”
The woman took the police to the suspect’s home.
“I noticed that on the floor and near the bed [in Sojada’s room] there were many handbags and cellphones. The female [who] was in the room introduced herself as Ongezwa Ludidi.
“I asked her if the belongings, especially the bags, were hers. She said some belonged to her while some had come with her boyfriend.
She pointed to [the accused] as her boyfriend. He [accused] was asked and he responded that he was Xolisa Sojada.
“He was asked if he knew Neo Jerry. His response was that there was no Neo Jerry. It was he who called himself Neo Jerry.
“It became clear that the [accused] was actually [allegedly] the offender we had been looking for. He confirmed he knew the bags; some belonged to his victims.”
The trial continues on Monday.
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