Flavio Hlabangwane, the Soweto man charged with murder after body parts were discovered in his refrigerator, is accused of attacking the dead during a drug-induced rage.
Hlabangwane, 26, appeared in Protea Magistrates Court yesterday, where he is facing murder charges after discovering a ghastly set of human limbs and legs in a freezer section in his refrigerator in Protea Glen on November 13.
Two law enforcement sources familiar with the inquiry told the local news Sowetan yesterday that Hlabangwane allegedly used a combination of narcotics, including methcathinone (commonly known as kat), a stimulant medication that speeds up the transmission of impulses between the brain and the body, and cocaine.
“According to this guy, he got into an altercation with the dead and hit her, leading her to fall to the ground and strike her skull.” “At the time, he stated that he had taken kat and cocaine on the day of the crime,” the officer said.
Another officer stated that Hlabangwane used narcotics to cope with the stress of being the lone breadwinner.
“He stated that he frequently purchases these medicines from Zola. “He stated he was stressed because he was the sole provider for his family, and that made it worse for him because he was under constant stress,” the officer said
Although the exact time of the crime is unknown, the official stated that Hlabangwane reportedly murdered his victim three weeks before being discovered by his new lover.
“He stated he didn’t remember the exact date of the incident, but that it was three weeks before the body pieces were discovered.”
The identity of the deceased remains unknown, and police said the limbs, along with a head portion presumed to be part of the missing body, have been transferred to a forensic laboratory for identification verification.
The court heard Monday that Hlabangwane attempted suicide the morning before his trial.
During his second visit, news of his suicide attempt broke.
Hlabangwane’s attorney, Gift Mcube, told the court that he would present the request to the 26-year-old watchdog the next time he appeared in court for a psychiatric evaluation.
