Nurse gets life for Christmas massacre

LIMPOPO – The Thohoyandou High Court, sitting at Waterval on March 14 sentenced Azwidohwi Enock Ndou (56), a nurse from Mafikeng Hospital and resident of Jimmy Jones village in Malamulele, to life imprisonment plus an additional 90 years for the murder of seven of his family members on Christmas Day in 2021.

Limpopo NPA spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the additional sentences will run concurrently with the life sentence.

Ndou has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 3 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.

“Despite pleading not guilty, the state presented compelling evidence, including eyewitness testimonies. The court heard that the deceased and the accused lived in separate houses within the same family yard. A dispute over the ownership of the Ndou homestead escalated when Ndou warned other family members that he would kill Mpho Ndou should he enter the property. The witnesses relayed this warning to Mpho Ndou, who is said to have dismissed it, believing his uncle would not act on the threat. On the evening of December 25, 2021, Ndou entered the yard, found his family members sitting on the veranda, and opened fire, killing seven relatives, including four minor children aged two, six, seven and 12 years of age. Following the massacre, he surrendered himself at Thohoyandou Police Station and handed over his firearm,” Malabi-Dzhangi confirmed.

During sentencing, state advocate Absah Madzhuta presented the testimony of Fhatuwani Ndou, who described the ongoing pain suffered by their family, particularly his mother, saying that Ndou had never shown remorse.

The state argued that the murders were premeditated, execution-style killings carried out with cruel intent. The prosecutors emphasised that Ndou sought to eliminate all possible challengers to the Ndou homestead, demonstrating a clear intent to exterminate his own family. Given the heinous nature of the crime, the state argued that no compelling circumstances justified a deviation from the mandatory life sentence.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Ivy Thenga, welcomed the sentencing, stating that justice had been served for the victims of the crime. She also commended Madzhuta and all stakeholders involved in securing the conviction.