Nigerian face charges of possession of item wey belong to late South Africa runner Elizabeth 'Tsontso'

South Africa police don charge three suspects to court on top accuse say dem tiff and sell one smartwatch wey belong to Elizabeth 'Tsontso' Moselakgomo, one runner wey dem discover her body for Rhodesfield on 12 September.

One Nigerian Kenneth Chibuzor dey among di suspects and e dey arraigned alongside di oda suspects bifor di Kempton Park Magistrates' Court.

Oda suspects include Stephen Mahlakwane Sekhukhune and Danial Anthony Moat.

South African National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) tok say Chibuzor dey face charges on top accuse say e allegedly break provisions of di Second-Hand Goods Act 6 of 2009, money laundering, theft, plus say e dey in possession of property wey authorities suspect say na stolen item.

E also dey charged wit accuse say e receive stolen property without any reasonable reason to believe say di pesin wey sell am di item get legal right to sell am.

Police allege say dem tiff her smartwatch less dan 24 hours afta di last time she dey seen alive and di pesin wey tiff di watch sell am, bifor e land di hand of di accuse wey resell am.

38-year-old missing runner, Elizabeth "Tsontso" dey among di 12 women wey dem discover dia dead body around Ekurhuleni area between July to September, 2026, under unknown circumstances for South Africa wey di police still dey investigate.

Dem last see Tsontso on 9 September afta she comot from her house to go for run, her daughter later raise alarm afta she no see her mother wey comot for house go run.

For September, South African Police Service bin announce say dem don arrest three suspects in connection to di murder cases wey dem dey investigate for di Eastern part of Johannesburg.

How police investigation find di deceased stolen smartwatch?

For inside statement wey NPA issue on Tuesday, 13 October, tok-tok pesin for di agency Magaboke Mohlatlole tok say dem discover say di smartwatch na di one wey di runner dey wear bifor she meet her death.

Di state allege say "Chibuzor, wey dey operate one second-hand goods shop for Kempton Park, buy di smartwatch for R900 from one unidentified individual and e no obtain or record di required identification details and transaction particulars as prescribed by law."

Di state also claim say e sell di smartwatch to Sekhukhune on 10 September 2026.

"Sekhukhune allegedly register di smartwatch to im Gmail account afta e don erase di deceased profile information and settings. E later sell di device to Moat for R4 000.

According to di authorities, Moat later advertise di smartwatch for social media and sell am for R4,000 ($242) to di fourth pesin, but dem no include dis fourth pesin becos dem no get enough evidence wey connect am to di alleged offences.

Charges against di three suspects

South African authorities tok say Chibuzor dey face charges wey relate to violation of di Second-Hand Goods Act 6 of 2009, money laundering, theft, alternatively possession of goods wey dem suspect say na stolen, or receiving stolen property without reason to believe say di transferor no get di right to sell am.

While, Sekhukhune and Moat dey face charges of money laundering and theft, or possession of or receiving stolen property.

"Chibuzor dey face charges wey relate to Second-Hand Goods Act 6 of 2009, money laundering, theft, or possession of goods wey dem suspect say dem steal, or dem receive stolen property without any reason to believe say di transferor dey entitled to dispose am," Mohlatlole tok.

"Sekhukhune and Moat dey face charges of money laundering and theft, or possession of or receiving stolen property."

Dem don grant Sekhukhune and Moat bail of R10,000 ($609) each afta dem provide di court details wey dem need including dia address and employment, while Chibuzor still dey for custody pending im bail application.

Dem neva enta any formal plea, as di case still dey preliminary stages. Di court also don postpone di mata to 19, October for di bail application of Chibuzor.

Di court also order say make authorities verify im immigration status as e be Nigerian citizen.

Wetin we know about Kenneth Chibuzor?

Chibuzor na Nigerian immigrant wey dey opearte second-hand goods shop for Kempton Park.

Chibuzor dey live close to Kempton Park wia im dey operate im business.

Although, South-African authorities tok say dem still dey investigate im immigration becos na Nigeria citizen

"Di court also order say make dem verify im immigration, as im be Nigerian citizen," NPA tok.

Wetin we know aboout Tsontso death and police investigations?

Dem discover Tsontso body for Rhodesfield on 12 September 2026, afta she bin go run for Kempton Park one afternoon.

Her disappearance bin raise concerns for di area, as authorities bin put out resources to search for her.

Days later dem discover her body, wey bi di fifth body wey dem discover for Kempton Park area, Gauteng for South Afica.

Dem see 37-year-old Tsontso body for ground, police investigators say dem find her wit di sport cloth wey she dey wear and dem find her partially clothed.

On Monday police confam say dem arrest three suspects wey dey linked to her smartwatch and di suspect don appear bifor di court.

South African Police tok say dem neva make any murder charges against di suspects as di investigations into her death still dey go on.