A 21-year-old named Sifiso Mkhwanazi has just been hit with a life sentence by the South Gauteng High Court in Palm Ridge for the horrific murder of six Zimbabwean sex workers in Johannesburg.
The sentencing took place on September 18, 2024, after he was found guilty of multiple serious charges, including six counts of murder, six counts of rape, and other offenses like obstructing justice and illegal possession of a firearm.
Judge Cassim Moosa didn’t hold back, labeling Mkhwanazi a dangerous criminal whose actions posed a significant threat to society. The case took a dark turn when the bodies of the six women were discovered in his father's auto repair shop back in October 2022.
During the trial, Mkhwanazi confessed to his dad that he killed the women but insisted it wasn’t premeditated. However, the lead investigator, Bongani Mbonambi, painted a different picture in court.
He detailed how all the victims had been bound, gagged, and strangled, suggesting that Mkhwanazi had a clear plan for these murders. Mbonambi argued that Mkhwanazi was seeking revenge against the women due to a previous rape accusation against him.
Mkhwanazi's defense lawyer claimed that he acted out of fear after the women raised their prices and that he was worried about getting arrested again.
But Judge Moosa wasn’t buying it. He pointed out that if Mkhwanazi was truly scared, he could have simply avoided engaging with sex workers altogether.
In his ruling, Judge Moosa acknowledged Mkhwanazi's young age at the time of the crimes but stressed that this didn’t excuse the brutal nature of his actions. He noted that there was a shocking level of violence involved and that Mkhwanazi showed no remorse for what he did.
The judge concluded that Mkhwanazi poses a continued risk to society and emphasized that violence against women is a serious national issue.
Ultimately, Mkhwanazi received life imprisonment, plus an extra 10 years for obstructing justice and 15 years for rape. The judge indicated that after 30 years, there would be a chance to revisit his sentence to see if any changes were warranted.
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