The South Gauteng High Court, sitting in Palm Ridge, has sentenced Sifiso Mkhwanazi to life in prison for the brutal murder of six Zimbabwean sex workers who were based in Johannesburg.
Mkhwanazi, 21, was sentenced on Wednesday after he was convicted of six counts of murder, six counts of rape, six counts of defeating or obstructing the administration of justice, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Judge Cassim Moosa declared Mkhwanazi a dangerous criminal who was arrogant and threatened the wellbeing of other people in society.
The plethora of charges against Mkhwanazi emanate from the discovery of six female bodies at the premises of his father's panel beating business in Rosettenville, Joburg, in October 2022.
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.
The case’s leading investigating officer, Bongani Mbonambi, told the court that all victims had been bound, gagged, and strangled to death, pointing to an elaborate plan proving his theory that all the murders were premeditated.
Mbonambi said based on the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the six deaths, Mkhwanazi was executing revenge against the women because of an earlier case of rape levelled against him.
However, Mkhwanazi’s defence counsel, Vuyo Maqetuka, argued that he killed the sex workers after they raised the prices they had initially agreed upon, and out of fear that he would be arrested.
However, Judge 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,” Maqetuka said at the time.
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