Authorities verifying immigration status of suspect in slain Moselakgomo smartwatch case

Police are working with the Department of Home Affairs to verify the immigration status of a Nigerian national accused of handling and selling a smartwatch belonging to slain runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo.

The 38-year-old's body was found along the R21 in Kempton Park back in September, after she went missing following an afternoon run in Kempton Park.

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The suspect is one of three men who appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Monday in connection with the alleged theft and sale of her watch.

Two of them have been granted bail of R10,000 each, while the State opposes bail for the Nigerian national.

The court heard how the smartwatch allegedly changed hands between the three men before it was eventually sold on Facebook Marketplace.

The first accused, who allegedly buys and sells pawned goods, is said to have bought the watch from an unidentified individual before selling it to the second accused.

The second accused allegedly reset the device to its factory settings and linked it to his own Gmail account before contacting the third accused.

The third accused allegedly paid R4,000 through a bank transfer, collected the watch three days later and listed it for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

The watch was eventually bought by another person who, according to the information presented, could not be linked to the alleged criminal activity.

The State is opposing bail for the first accused while authorities seek to verify his immigration status in South Africa.

The three men face charges relating to the alleged theft of the smartwatch and money laundering linked to its sale. None of them has been charged with Moselakgomo’s murder.

The matter has been postponed to 19 October.

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