Mulaudzi receives 11 life sentences and 200 years imprisonment!

A notorious serial killer, Mukosi Mulaudzi (46) from Mandala Village, was sentenced to 11 life sentences in the Thohoyandou High Court last Thursday.

The sentence meted out to Mulaudzi, who was facing 28 serious counts, was received with mixed feelings. Some family and community members who packed the court room during the trial said the sentence would not serve any purpose as he might escape again and continue with his murderous life. Those who were satisfied were seen celebrating outside the court long after sentence had been passed.

The case started at the beginning of this year in the Thohoyandou High Court.

Mulaudzi started his criminal career in 1985, when he was arrested and convicted for a petty crime of theft, where a fine of R120 or four months’ imprisonment was imposed on him. Mulaudzi started a horrifying criminal career, perfecting the art by improving on his previous crimes, until he “graduated” in 1991, when he was convicted on 20 serious counts, two of which were murder.

He got two life terms and many years in prison for his heinous crimes. Mulaudzi was sent to Baviaanspoort Prison in Gauteng to do his time, but dashed to freedom in 1996. He continued where he left off and in 2004 he embarked on a journey of stealing, robbing and maiming, whichever came his way. He did not only steal from his victims, but also raped and killed them.

His latest caper after escaping from prison saw him committing more than 20 serious crimes, which included rape, theft, robbery and murder. He was charged on 28 counts, but two were withdrawn before the trial could start.

The counts he was facing and sentences he received are as follows:

* Housebreaking with intent to rob and steal, committed at Dzumbathoho in June 2004 (18 years);

* Attempted murder on Margareth Nembudani of Phadzima, committed on June 29, 2004 (18 years);

* Housebreaking with intent to rob and steal, committed in September 2004 at Tshivhilidulu (19 years);

* Rape, committed in September 2004 (27 years);

* Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on Lufuno Magondo (18 years);

* Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on Zwidofhelangani Magondo (18 years);

* Housebreaking, committed on November 18, 2004 (11 years);

* Attempted murder, committed on November 18, 2004 (11 years);

* Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, committed on June 4, 2005 (15 years);

* Firearm theft, committed June 4, 2005; policeman Joseph Magonono was robbed of his service firearm and it was never recovered (15 years);

* Housebreaking with intent to rob and theft committed in June 2005 at Dzumbathoho (14 years);

* Murder of Jeanet Dama, committed in June 2005 (life);

* Murder of Marvel Dama, committed June 2, 2005 (life);

* Murder of Maria Munyai, committed on August 20/21 2005 (life);

* Attempted murder on Dakalo Munyai, committed on August 20/21 2005 (17 years);

* Murder of Phophi Radzilani, committed on August 4, 2006 (life);

* Murder of Moses Mushiana, committed on August 4, 2006 (life);

* Murder of Shumani Mushiana, committed on August 4, 2006 (life);

* Housebreaking with intent to rob and theft (12 years);

* Murder of Lavhelesani Sivhugwana, committed on August 16/17 2006 (life);

* Murder of Shumani Sivhugwana, committed on August 16/17 2006 (life);

* Murder of Nyadzani Sivhugwana, committed on the August 16/17 (life);

* Rape of Winnietjie Tshilimandila (27 years);

* Murder of Winnietjie Tshilimandila (life);

* Rape committed on July 8/9 2006 at Mulodi (27 years);

* Murder of Shonisani Thinandavha, committed on July 8/9 2006 (life).

In closing arguments, Mulaudzi´s defense counsel, Adv Mmbambadzeni Manwadu, asked the court to be lenient when passing sentence. He also cited the accused’s personal circumstances as mitigating factors, because he was from a broken family where his father could not provide for him and he could not go to school. He dropped out of school in Std 2 in 1980, he survived on odd jobs and earned only a pittance. His wife was also unemployed. He added that Mulaudzi had pleaded guilty to most of the charges and that he had cooperated with the police. He did not waste the court´s time, was remorseful for his deeds and stands a chance of being rehabilitated.

For the state, Adv Bethuel Manyuha said Mulaudzi should be removed permanently from the community. He said the fact that the accused had a string of convictions showed that he had a tendency of repeating the same crimes and giving him another chance would be like giving him the chance to go and commit them again. He said this also showed that he was not rehabilitation material.

Manyuha also put it to the court that the manner in which the victims had been killed was brutal and vicious and clearly showed the pain the victims went through before they died. He denied that Mulaudzi ever cooperated with the police as body parts removed when Shonisani Thinandavha was killed were never found and that the firearm stolen from Magonono was never recovered. He said all the crimes were committed in the dark, which made it very hard for police to investigate them and that almost all were committed against women and children.

He also put it to the court that in some instances, Mulaudzi wiped out a whole family to avoid being detected. “It is clear that this man has no respect for human life. He does not deserve to be in the community. The fact that he had the resolve to kill a heavily pregnant woman speaks volumes about this man; he should not get any chance to return to society,” Manyuha said.

In sentencing Mulaudzi, Judge Godfrey Hetisani said he had taken all the accused´s personal circumstances before making a decision. Hetisani, who had to adjourn the court before passing judgment, saying that he lacked the wisdom of King Solomon and needed time to pray. He said the crimes which Mulaudzi was convicted of had reached alarming proportions and had become more prevalent. He said the manner in which the victims had been killed were particularly heinous, with some victims being burnt alive, some hacked with an axe and some having their body parts removed, never to be found again.

He said almost all the crimes had been perpetuated against women and showed that they had been pre-planned before being executed. He said most of Mulaudzi’s previous crimes were committed after his escape from prison and it clearly shows that he would still continue with a criminal career if given the chance. He also pointed out that Mulaudzi had showed no remorse and that he only chose to plead guilty to some of the charges whose exhibits had been used in court.

Hetisani sentenced him to 11 life sentences and more than 200 years’ imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Mulaudzi still has to serve the other two life sentences he was serving when he escaped from prison.

News - Date: 29 August 2008

Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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