THE man, accused of brutally hacking two men to death and raping a woman near the uMfolozi FET College in Richards Bay last week, will be back in the dock this week for a formal bail application.
Xolani Mpanza (20), appeared in the Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday charged with the gruesome murder of Mozambican nationals John Sithole (45) and Thulani Mtimbane (39).
Mpanza was also charged with the rape of a woman on the same night as the murders.
According to police reports, Sithole, Mtimbane and the woman were attacked while asleep in their home on 13 June at around 10pm.
Whilst being beaten, Sithole and Mtimbane ran away and left the women behind with the attacker.
Mpanza then allegedly raped her and tied her to a chair outside the shack. He subsequently set the informal settlement on fire and ran away.
It was reported that Mpanza then went looking for Sithole and Mtimbane. When he found them he brutally murdered them and buried their bodies near the settlement.
Victim escapes
Once Mpanza left, the rape victim managed to escape and alert others of the incident, who then went out to apprehend Mpanza.
The enraged family members caught him near the fresh graves and took him to the Richards Bay police station where he was arrested. The rape victim was also taken to the station and then admitted for medical care.
On Sunday morning, Captain Biyela and his team were led to the murder scene by Mpanza.
‘Police spokesperson Captain Debbie Ferreira told the Zululand Observer the bodies were found buried in two shallow graves.
‘Sithole and Mtimbane’s bodies were found with slashes all over their bodies. The district surgeon confirmed that these men were hacked to death with a bush knife,’ said Ferreira.
Everything’s watertite
ANIMAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Death