Following his plea of guilt on Tuesday February 1, which the state did not accept, Julius Thabiso Mndawe (26) of Numbi Trust has been found guilty of five counts of murder and five counts of defeating the ends of justice.

He appeared in the Mpumalanga High Court on Friday February 4.

Mndawe is accused of murdering and burying Banele Khoza (15), Noxolo Mdluli (17), Tokie Tlaka (24), Nomthandazo Mdluli (19) and Felicia Ndlovu (17) between 2018 and 2019 in Numbi Village in Hazyview.

The investigating officer in the case, Joseph Mnisi, gave evidence in a statement and testified about what he had observed at the crime scene when the police had exhumed the victims’ remains.

In his plea, Mndawe told the court that the incidents had happened on the spur of the moment. The state did not agree with his statement. Acting Judge Denise Greyling Coetzer said the murders were premeditated.

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The Mpumalanga NPA’s spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, said the matter was postponed to Monday February 7 for sentencing.

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Read more in the next print edition of Mpumalanga News.