CAPE TOWN - Swellendam serial killer Brian Mudyiwayana, who has been described as arrogant and dismissive, will serve six life terms and 17 years imprisonment after sentence was handed down in the high court sitting in Swellendam on Wednesday.
National Prosecuting Authority Eric Ntabazalila said that the court declared “he deserved to be permanently removed from society”.
Mudyiwayana was convicted on six counts of murder, a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances and two counts of being in the country illegally. He was acquitted of a rape charge.
Delivering his sentence, Judge Derek Wille said gender-based violence in South Africa has reached pandemic proportions.
“In my view, an unambiguous message needs to be sent to the offenders who participate in gender-based violence and crime. The circumstances of this particular case demand that the offender, for all practical purposes, is permanently removed from society. Further, without rehabilitation, I do not envisage how parole would be appropriate in the circumstances of this case, this is however an issue for the prison authorities,” said Judge Wille.
Ntabazalila said senior state advocate Megan Blows called several witnesses during aggravation of sentence including Lieutenant Colonel Elmarie Myburgh, a veteran with 28 years experience in forensic investigation and investigative psychology who declared Mudyiwayana as a “serial killer motivated by power, control and excitement”.
Blows report stated that Mudyiwayana is”manipulative and deceitful, and lying comes easy to him”.
“The accused has never shown any remorse for the crimes, as a result, he showed no empathy towards the victims or their families and has no remorse for his actions… The accused showed no emotion when he spoke about the crimes he has committed.
“He is unwilling to accept responsibility for the crimes but blamed it on the ‘muti’ he allegedly used which made him commit the crimes. He exhibited no empathy towards the victims and lacked remorse or guilt for his actions. His demeanour can be described as arrogant and dismissive, as he showed no concern for his current legal situation,” said Blows.
Mudyiwayana went on a killing spree between 2016 and 2017, murdering his victims – Moleboheng Mafata, Gladys Ntondini, Grace Nyasha Hondo, Naume Gwengwe, Lungelwa Dangatye and Michael Pekaan – in Swellendam, Bredasdorp, Mossel Bay and De Doorns. He had manipulated and duped his female victims with false promises of job opportunities or who were in love with him and were found dumped in open fields in the different towns.
Pekaan’s body was found in his house and a fridge, DSTV decoder, three television sets, a lawnmower, a new pair of work boots, a pair of training shoes, a DVD player, bedding and a matric ball dress were missing.
Cape Times