Johannesburg - The cloths he wore to rob his victims were soaked in a bucket filled with water and muti.
These were the same clothes victims described to the police every time a case was opened against Lungisani Innocent Mdlolo, 31, dubbed “One Man”.
This emerged on Friday in the Johannesburg High Court, sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
Constable Mokebe Morutse - the arresting officer in the case - was testifying about a search of Mdlolo’s room on December 1, 2012, shortly after one of his alleged victims used the Blackberry Protect application to trace her cellphone.
Mdlolo allegedly stole the phone during a house robbery he allegedly committed at the woman’s home in the early hours of that day.
It is alleged that between November 30 and the early hours of December 1, Mdlolo entered three homes in Pimville, robbing his victims of cellphones, money and a laptop.
In one of the houses, he allegedly robbed a group of women who were preparing for a wedding ceremony.
Morutse told the court Mdlolo’s hostel room was unlocked when police arrived.
He said Mdlolo’s bed was neatly made, as if no one had slept on it.
The court heard Mdlolo was hiding in the roof.
“We had already searched the rooms inside his house when he (Mdlolo) fell from the ceiling,” said Morutse. Mdlolo was armed when he fell, he added, and was apprehended.
Morutse said Mdlolo had confirmed during his arrest that the unlicensed firearm was his.
He said he had previously attended to or obtained statements from victims who had been robbed by a person called “One Man”.
Mdlolo is facing 10 counts of house-breaking, five of robbery, three of kidnapping, three of rape, three of possession of a firearm or ammunition, and one of murder.
It is alleged Mdlolo broke into female-headed homes and raped some of the women.
The trial continues.
The Star