Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, welcomed the six life sentences imposed on a serial killer, Linos Munudawafa (35) also known as Brian Mudyiwayana, in the periodical High Court held at Swellendam on Wednesday, 02 March 2022. He was convicted after a lengthy trial on six counts of murder, one count of robbery with aggravating circumstances and two counts of contraventions of the Refugees’ Act (Act 130 of 1998).
On 28 April 2016 police responded to a scene in an open field near the N2 highway at Swellendam where the body of the first victim, Moleboheng Mafata (24), was found by a member of the public. Human remains later identified as those of Gladys Ntondini (47), who was reported as missing during July 2016, were later found on a dairy farm also at Swellendam on 29 November 2016. De Doorns police also responded to a scene on 21 November 2017 at a house on a farm where the body of Miceal Pekaan (59) was found under his bed with multiple injuries inflicted with a sharp object.
The investigation officer, Warrant Officer Suzette Lourens stationed as Detective Commander at Suurbraak SAPS, made a major breakthrough when she linked this man to these killings. The accused was positively linked through fingerprint and DNA evidence to two murders. He was subsequently tracked down by Sergeant Enrico Albertus, attached to the Swellendam police, and arrested on 9 February 2019. Forensic and technological evidence later also linked the accused to four more murders perpetrated in Mossel Bay and Swellendam before his arrest.
Investigation into these killings revealed that the victims were lured into employment opportunities by the accused. He befriended some and conned them into romantic relationships. Furthermore, all these victims succumbed to head injuries from blunt trauma inflicted to the back of the head and most of them were found naked or semi-naked at the time of their discoveries. The accused was well aware of his surroundings and experts deployed during the course of the investigation established that a large number of crime scenes were in close proximity to each other.
Linos Munudawafa, was convicted earlier this week 28 February 2022. The sentencing was handed down as follow:
Count 1 and 2 Contraventing the Refugees Act – four years imprisonment
Count 3 Murder: Moloboheng Mafata (24) – Life imprisonment
Count 4 Murder: Gladys Ntondini (47) – Life imprisonment
Count 5 Murder: Grace Nyasha Hondo (24): Life imprisonment
Count 6 Murder: Naume Gwengwe (23): Life imprisonment
Count 7 Robbery aggravating: 15 years imprisonment
Count 8 Murder: Micael Pekaan (59): Life imprisonment
Count 9 Rape: Not Guilty
Count 10 Murder: Lungelwa Dangatye (47) – Life imprisonment
Lt General Patekile had nothing but praise for the detection and prosecution team who ensured that the perpetrator is removed from society. He said: “This hefty sentence imposed on an offender of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) demonstrate the commitment of SAPS to ensure that those who threaten the safety of society will face the full might of the law once arrested. Western Cape police management is pleased with the harsh sentence imposed on this serial murderer and it is our hope that it will deter potential offenders of GBVF from committing similar offences”. The community is safer with this perpetrator incarcerated, he concluded.