The Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm Ridge heard that the man standing trial for the murder of six sex workers targeted Zimbabwean women. The investigating officer in the matter Sergeant Bongani Mbonambi revealed this during his cross examination by the defence today. Mbonambi took the stand last Wednesday giving his evidence in the trial.

During his cross examination by the defence Vuyo Maqetula, Sergeant Mbonambi revealed that there was a South African woman who was fetched by the accused on a Sunday afternoon who was not harmed or robbed by the accused Sifiso Mkhwanazi "The accused had fetched a woman who confirmed that the accused was her client, however, he did not rape, rob or kill her. This is reason enough to believe that the accused had a target, which were Zimbabwean women. His behaviour according to his own admission to his father, was that he wanted revenge for his 2018 false rape case that was opened by a Zimbabwean woman," Mbonambi testified, adding that he released a statement from the caretaker stating that the accused used to bring different women to the makeshift workshop, however not all of them were killed.

The defence argued that the charge of rape cannot stand because in his admission, Mkhwanazi said the victims consented to the sex.

Maqetula also asked Mbonambi if they have evidence or could prove if his client raped his victims. In his response Mbonambi said: "It's true that we cannot find evidence that proves that Mkhwanazi raped his victims as he also claims in his affidavit that he had consensual sex with them. But if we can prove that he had planned to kill them, then we can say that he had also planned to rape them because he would have pretended to be an innocent client but knowing his motives, therefore the consent about sex is nullified." Mbonambi said what Mkhwanazi told them and what they found on the crime scene does not correspond. "Whether they had agreed or consented to the sex, the fact that the accused knew that he had to get his revenge from his previous rape case suggests that the consent was under false pretence because the victims did not know his ulterior motive."

Maqetula told the court that the accused still maintains that he did not plan to kill any of his victims. He said Mkhwanazi's version is that once an argument ensued about the agreed price, his anger would be invoked and he would react by killing his victims. Mbonambi said they rejected that because evidence suggests otherwise. "If you go to his admission, it's a like a puzzle, in his own words Mkhwanazi described his character, this after he was released from prison for rape. He said he was furious for being falsely accused of rape. He even told his father that "I vouch for revenge". When his father asked him to tell the truth he wasn't forcing a confession out of him and the accused could have said daddy I know nothing about this but instead he told his father that he killed those women," said Mbonambi.