‘Satanic’ serial rape accomplice appears in court with newborn

Accused number one, Sandile Welcome Xulu, 23, along with suspected accomplices, Innocent Mthembu, 25, and Zinhle Mkhungo, 29, appeared before Justice Mtshali, Zululand Observer reported.

The suspected rape trio were remanded into custody, and the case was postponed to June 29, where a bail application will be heard.

It was confirmed Mkhungo had given birth to Xulu’s child three weeks ago. She was in court with the baby girl on Monday morning. It is believed the baby is being allowed to stay with her mother in custody.

It remains unclear if alternative arrangements for the baby had been finalised.

Mthembu and Mkhungo were charged with the possession of suspected stolen property and assisting another to commit a sexual offence, respectively.

Xulu faces three counts of rape so far pending DNA test results to link him to another two victims. It is believed he raped and robbed five women in the Empangeni area between May and March this year.

Mkhungo and Xulu were apparently seen laughing as they were escorted into the cells.

All three suspects were apprehended in eNseleni last Thursday morning during a joint operation between the Empangeni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit and Crime Intelligence.

In February, Simon Sithole, a serial rapist from Mamelodi, was sentenced in the Pretoria High Court to 564 years’ imprisonment, of which he effectively has to serve 78 years.

The 27-year-old Mozambican national had waged a reign of terror for years in the Pretoria East township before his arrest. Sithole’s 21 victims include an 11-year-old child and three 16-year-old girls. He used a range of weapons, including a firearm, knife, axe, screwdriver and garden shears to threaten his victims.

– Caxton News Service