MORNÉ Harmse, also known as the School Ninja, is expected to be sentenced today.

MORNÉ Harmse, also known as the School Ninja, is expected to be sentenced today.

Harmse pleaded guilty to murdering his schoolmate by slashing him with a sword and to attempted murder of three people in the South Gauteng high court in April.

The Nic Deiderichs Technical High School matric pupil said in an affidavit that he had committed the crime just so he would be noticed by other pupils.

Harmse and his two friends were big followers of the heavy metal rock band Slipknot, which is assumed to be the inspiration behind the crime. They had often gathered to discuss how they would do something "remarkable" at school.

On August 18 last year, Harmse showed up at school wearing a home-made Slipknot mask, a ninja suit and carrying two swords.

The plan was that he would bring the swords, his friend Marco Fourie a "rolling bomb" and Max Brechlin would use what Harmse brought.

"Marco gave me the 'bomb' and said I must not pull the wire because it would explode. I stood a little way back and pulled the wire. Nothing happened and I threw the bomb down," he said.

Harmse was determined to carry out the plan, so when the other kids laughed at him he pulled out his sword and slashed Jacques Pretorius across the neck.

He then stabbed another pupil, Stephanus Bouwer, in the leg. Two school employees Lesiba Manamela and Tsiamo Kodisang tried to grab the crazed Harmse but were also attacked.