Sex workers trial: Court hears Mkhwanazi tailored his admissions to avoid some charges

Sifiso Mkhwanazi, accused of killing six sex workers, tailored his admissions to suit his narrative to avoid some charges.  

This is according to one of the lead investigators, Det-Sgt Prince Bongani Mbonambi, who testified on Monday in the Johannesburg high court sitting in Palm Ridge.  

Mkhwanazi, 21, was arrested in October 2022 and charged with six counts of murder, seven of rape, six of defeating or obstructing the administration of justice, robbery with aggravating circumstances and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.  

He pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and murder.

He made an admission in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act.

Mkhwanazi admitted to strangling the women, using an arm choke. He denied raping the women, alleging it was consensual sex which he paid for. He denied planning the murders and said he strangled the women because they reneged on their agreement on the payment for sex and demanded more money.

Mkhwanazi’s lawyer Vuyo Maqetuka said Mkhwanazi, in his admission, did not say he strangled the victims but strangled them until they were unconscious and tied them up.  

The police alleged he tied up the victims and raped them repeatedly.

“This was created by the admissions of the accused because he tailored his admission to suit his own narrative so he can run away from certain charges we prefer against him.

“I put this the last time I was here [during examination in chief] when I said his admissions to me were imprecise, vague and his logic was a fussy logic in a sense that it leaves us with this conundrum that we come with different conclusions, not only us, [also] the investigators,” said Mbonambi.  

“The only person who had an opportunity to tell us in detail couldn’t do so. Our conclusion is not far-fetched,” Mbonambi said.  

Maqetuka said because of so many conclusions, the investigating team decided to “go for the worst scenario” and when Mbonambi was asked about it he said it was not true and they came to the [most likely] conclusion given the circumstances.  

During the investigations police obtained statements from one of the security guards at the workshop — where the bodies were found — who indicated he noticed Mkhwanazi used to bring different women at weekends and after hours.

Maqetuka said what Mbonambi said about used condoms found at the scene — that Mkhwanazi repeatedly raped the victims — could not be correct and the investigator could not prove there was non-consensual sex.  

“One of the things we are trying to prove here is the murders were premeditated and if we are successful in that, the issue of consensual sex will be null and void because he would have pretended to be an innocent client when he took them from the street, but knowing well what he wanted to do,” said Mbonambi.  

Maqetuka is expected to file an application to have some of the charges dismissed. The state has indicated it will oppose the application.  

The state and the defence are expected to file court papers by Tuesday. The matter is expected to resume on Wednesday.  

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