Sifiso Mkhwanazi, 21, appears at the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court. Mkhwanazi is accused of the murder six sex workers. Picture: Itumeleng English Independent Newspaper
Sifiso Mkhwanazi, the 21-year-old charged with alleged rape and murder of six sex workers, awaits to hear his fate following graphic details of his revenge-inspired killing spree between April 2022 and October of the same year.
Mkhwanazi, who has previously admitted to killing the six women between April and October 2022, has, however, denied that these series of killings were premeditated and that he had raped them before strangling them to death over a period of time.
On Wednesday, the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, postponed his matter to March 13 with the judgment expected to be handed down when he appears in court again next week.
A grim picture of how the six bodies ended up in his father’s workshop in the Joburg CBD after they were discovered in various parts of the workshop were once again the subject of the closing arguments between the State and the defence council.
The 21-year-old faces several counts of rape, murder and robbery among others for the gruesome encounters that ended in death.
During the course of the trial, Mkhwanazi admitted to his father, Mark Khumalo, that he had killed the six women but denied the murders were planned or premeditated.
Mkhwanazi further denied the rape and defeating the ends of justice charges against him even though the State argued that he had lured the women under false pretences after promising to pay them for their services.
During his testimony, the case’s leading investigating officer, Bongani Mbonambi, pointed to the commonalities among all the victims, saying all the victims had been bound, gagged, and strangled to death, pointing to an elaborate plan proving his theory that all the murders were premeditated.
During his closing arguments, State prosecutor Leswikane Mashabela pointed to the same evidence, saying: “We still have the modus operandi which states that it was premeditated murder. He was binding them, mouth gagged, maybe the first one you might say it is a mistake, but you go to six.”
Mkhwanazi’s defence counsel, Vuyo Maqetuka, argued that the accused killed the sex workers after they allegedly raised the prices they had agreed upon, and out of fear that he would be arrested.
However, Judge Cassim Moosa differed, saying: “Six times, why didn’t he stay away from the sex workers?
“The accused was triggered in all six times that he might be arrested for rape again. When they wanted more money, that’s when he was angered.”
Judge Moosa is expected to make a ruling on March 13.
Mashabela argued that the accused must be found guilty of premeditated murder.
The Star
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