More than a year after their arrest, two alleged burglars are still locked in what appears a full-fledged mud-slinging battle.

The two men, Walter Muvari (22) and Amir Faith Ghattas (25), who also claim to be lovers, appeared in the Louis Trichardt Regional Court on Monday. A third accused, who later turned state witness, Shaene Mathiknithela (19), started to testify in the two’s criminal case.

Both Muvari and Ghattas appeared on three counts of housebreaking with the intent to steal. The charges against them relate to three housebreakings that took place from March to April 2010. Household goods, such as furniture and electronic goods, stolen during these robberies amount to just more than R140 000, according to the charge sheet.

Mathiknithela, better known as Shiny, grabbed the court room’s attention with her testimony on Monday. She testified that Muvari had approached her on more than one occasion when the burglaries were supposed to take place. Muvari allegedly asked her to help him pass the goods through the window of a house situated in the area of Kock Street. She confirmed that she knew that the house belonged to “another couple and that they were not home", which she knew because she lived close by.

Mathiknithela then, at Muvari’s request, asked her boyfriend, Jacobus Johannes Oelofse, to help them transport the goods to a house in Reitz Street. Oelofse was not charged, but was asked to testify in the case. Both Mathiknithela and Oelofse testified that Oelofse had received his payment in the form of carnal favours from Mathiknithela.

During Monday’s court appearance, Muvari’s lawyer said that he would provide evidence that goods found in Muvari's possession during a police search were in fact gifts from his boyfriend. His boyfriend, Muvari will apparently testify, is none other than Ghattas. “They were boyfriends and trusted each other,” said Muvari’s lawyer.

After Mathiknithela finished her testimony, the case was postponed until 5 June to give Muvari and Ghattas' lawyers’ time to prepare their clients for cross examination.