An alleged serial rapist and murderer disappeared from his work post for 45 minutes before the body of his colleague was found at their workplace. The South Gauteng High Court on Thursday heard that Thapelo Motseki‚ 32‚ disappeared from the sight of his supervisor Samuel Mcephe while they were working together at Aquarius Platinum Mine in Rustenburg‚ North West.Mcephe testified that the accused returned 45 minutes later with scratch marks on his face.“We were working at section 86 North and Thapelo was working under my supervision. Around 1.35am I didn't see Thapelo at our post. He returned 45 minutes later and I saw a scratch on his face.“I asked what happened to him‚ he claimed he was busy during our first preparations and was scratched by a small rock. He said it was a small thing and his explanation was not making sense. I sent him to where he was supposed to work‚” Mcephe said.Motseki is facing four counts of murder‚ four of rape and three of kidnapping.His alleged victims include Setuke‚ Emerencia Botshelo Kgakatsi‚ 17‚ Lungile Kubheka‚ 15‚ and Thembelihle Dlamini‚ 16.Botshelo was last seen alive on April 30 2013 in Seraleng near Rustenburg on her way to visit her boyfriend Koketso Mosime in Kanana nearby.Her body was found the following day in Seraleng after she was last seen in the company of Motseki the previous night.She was later raped and strangled to death allegedly by Motseki‚ 32.Lungile's body was found on August 6 2013 in a yard opposite her parental home in Snake Park‚ Soweto‚ while Thembelihle's body was found on May 25 2014‚ in a yard a few houses away from her home.The trial continues...