Durban - The father of former Blue Bulls rugby player Phindile Ntshongwana urged the Durban High Court on Monday to ensure his son was kept in a prison hospital.
Liston Ntshongwana, who was testifying in mitigation of his son's sentencing for axing four people to death, said: “His condition is a serious condition. It is not an ordinary condition. We just don't know what triggers his things.”
Ntshongwana said his son should not be kept with the general prison population, but continue receiving treatment at the Westville prison hospital.
His son was to have been sentenced in October, but the matter was postponed as his lawyer Themba Mjoli argued successfully for a postponement so a clinical psychologist and a criminologist could testify in mitigation of sentencing.
In September, Judge Irfaan Khalil convicted Ntshongwana on four counts of murder, two of attempted murder, one of kidnapping, one of rape, and one of assault.
He murdered Thembelenkosini Cebekhulu in Montclair, Durban, on March 20, 2011, Paulos Hlongwa two days later, Simon Ngidi the following day, and an unidentified man that week. All were hacked to death with an axe.
He raped and kidnapped a woman in November 2010. He tried to kill two men, one in Umlazi on March 21, 2011, and the other in Lamontville on March 23.
Khalil said Mjoli's contention that at the time of the crimes his client suffered from a mental illness and had no control over his actions, did not hold water.
“The murders were planned and not impulsive acts committed on the spur of the moment. His decapitation of the victims was purposeful,” said Khalil.
Ntshongwana's father told the court on Monday that the family was saddened by the crimes and apologised.
“And even today we are extending our sincere apologies, immeasurably so because life is precious,” he said.
He conceded that since his son had been placed on new medication in September, his condition had stabilised.
Sentencing is continuing. - Sapa