The soldier who is alleged to have killed his three children and his wife in a fit of rage last year, confessed to killing only his children and not the wife.

This unfolded in the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou, where the 35-year-old former soldier attached to 15 SAI Battalion at Vuwani, Meshack Kharivhe, is standing trial on four counts of murder.

The shocking confession is in sharp contrast to earlier hearings, when he claimed no knowledge of the whole incident. He also chose to conduct his own defence and not make use of the services of an attorney.

Judge Godfrey Hetisani granted him his wish not to have a legal representative. The case was postponed to Friday (today), when the last witness, police photographer Insp Emmanuel Mamphogoro, will give his testimony.

Kharivhe allegedly ran amok on April 5, last year, when returning from work and hacked his family of four to death.

The circumstances surrounding the gruesome killing of a woman and her three children are still in question, as no concrete reason was given for the killings. Winnie Matodzi (27) and her three children, daughter Zwonaka (9), son Thendo (3) and Maduvha (9 months), met their untimely deaths when they were mercilessly hacked to death with the aid of an instrument, suspected to be a spade.

Witness Capt Azwinndini Sengani described the scene to the court. He said the deceased were found in different places with deep wounds. Dr Nangammbi, who had examined the bodies, described the wounds on the bodies of the deceased.

The accused’s bother, Norman Kharivhe, also testified for the state. He told the court how his brother asked him to accompany him to the police station. He said his brother had not told him what had happened until they reached the police station. He added that he was shocked when his brother confessed at the charge office to the murders of his wife and three children.

Community members who had gathered to hear the case expressed disbelief at the latest chain of events. “How could he plead guilty to only the murders of his children and disown the responsibility of killing his wife, even though the incident happened at the same place and time?” asked one spectator.

Adv Bethuel Manyuha is appearing for the state in this case.