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Ndivhuwo Ntsieni, photographed after he received nine life sentences.

Nine life sentences for Univen serial killer

 

The man dubbed the Univen serial killer, Ndivhuwo Ntsieni, was sentenced to nine times life imprisonment and a further 15 years by Acting Judge Jackson Mushasha in the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou last Friday.

He was found guilty on five counts of murder, four of rape and two of robbery.  The conviction stems from incidents that took place in 2014 in the vicinity of the Univen campus and the Golgotha residential area.

Before passing sentence, Mushasha explained in the packed-to-capacity court room how serious the offences were and also described the brutality of the assaults on innocent people. He said that the crimes had been premeditated and that Ntsieni had never shown any mercy to his victims.

“I was also touched by the testimony of Ms  Rendani Thagisa, the mother of the killed Shudufhadzani, when she told this court that when she sent her daughter to the University of Venda to further her studies in nursing, she was hoping that her child would become a qualified and good nurse. On her way to attend her classes at the university, she was attacked and later died," Mushasha added.

He strongly commended the good work done by police investigation officer Maj Shumani Raphulu and his team. "If it was not for the team who apprehended Ntsieni in July 2014, a larger number of innocent people could have been killed," Mushasha said.

Ntsieni was found guilty on the following charges: Murder and rape of a first-year agricultural science student, Ms Livhuwani Mmbodi (20) on 14 March; Tshililo Ndou (9) from Golgotha town was strangled and raped on 27 April; nursing science student Ms Shudufhadzani Thagisa (24) was attacked and hit with a brick on 26 May and she died in hospital in March 2015; Zwivhuya Mashau (8), a Grade 3 pupil at Nazarene School in Thohoyandou, was strangled and raped on 26 June and Ms Brenda Ndove (45), a cleaner at Univen, was attacked and hit on the head with a brick and raped on 18 July. She died after the ordeal.

Mr Azwimpheleli Ndou, the father of the young Tshililo Ndou said he was happy that Ntsieni had finally been found guilty and sentenced. “Although our children and beloved family members will never come back and live again, Ntsieni will rot in jail. We are happy that justice has done its judgment without taking sides,” said Ndou after the sentencing.

A member of the ANC Women's League in the Vhembe region, Ms Ester Makhomisane, said they were happy about the sentences, because Ntsieni had targeted women for all the crimes he committed.  "We hope the sentence of Ntsieni will serve as good example to killers and rapists," said Makhomisane.

 

 

 

News - Date: 27 May 2016

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Silas Nduvheni

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