Murder accused and alleged rapist Sifiso Mkhwanazi (21) has admitted to killing all six sex workers, however he pleaded not guilty to all the charges that were tabled against him. He appeared at the Johannesburg High Court sitting in Palm Ridge for his plea arguments today. Mkhwanazi who was in tears when Judge Kassim Moosa addressed him reminding him of the seriousness of his charges wore seemingly new black and white Adidas tracksuits and rocked a fresh haircut.

CHARGES

Mkhwanazi is facing seven counts of rape and six counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition however, he pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Mkhwanazi was arrested in October 2022 after a pregnant sex worker was reported missing. Searching for her, the police followed leads and discovered a makeshift workshop in downtown Joburg near Faraday taxi rank, where they found six bodies in different stages of decomposition hidden in stationery vehicles due for repairs. One body was found in black trolley bin.

'I WAS ANGRY'

In his admission Mkhwanazi said that he did not plan to kill any of the deceased and claims that it all happened in an instinctive. He said he was falsely accused of rape in 2021 and spent 10 months in prison for that matter. The court heard that the sex worker he first murdered in 2022 April, had allegedly demanded extra money from what they had initially agreed on. "This infuriated the accused as it brought back the memories of him being incarcerated following the 2021 rape allegations. With the fear that they will accuse him of rape again, he reacted by strangling them to death, tying them up and then hide their bodies," the court heard. Only one deceased was found with a gunshot wound to the head. "These killings tormented the accused to the extent that he decided not hide the body of the last person he killed. He left the office where her body was open with the hope that someone will discover it. In the morning of Sunday the 9th of October of 2022, the caretaker of the building discovered this corpse. Later on the same day, five more corpses were found hidden in the outside yard of the premises at different locations."