South African serial killer sentenced to life in prison for murdering 13 women

South African serial killer sentenced to life in prison for murdering 13 women

2011-01-20 23:56:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA (BNO NEWS) -- A serial killer on Wednesday was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering 13 women in sugar-cane plantations in South Africa, The Mail and Guardian newspaper reported on Thursday.

Thozamile Taki, also known as the sugar-cane serial killer, was sentenced at the Durban High Court to 13 consecutive life in prison sentenced, once for each woman he murdered.

In addition, Judge King Ndlovu sentenced Taki to further 208 years stemming from the armed robbery of each woman (16 years each). Judge Ndlovu said that Taki was callous and insensitive as he smiled during the witnesses' spoke during trial.

On December 23, Taki was found guilty of 26 charges against him. According to evidence shown on trial, the sugar-cane serial killer lured women to leave their homes with job promises in factories or companies.

Taki requested the victims to bring money as they left their homes. He claimed that it was for paying the rent or as a bribe to secure their employment. He targeted women that lived in poverty and were in need of greater income.

Then, he killed the women and dumped their bodies in the sugar-cane plantations in Umzinto and Port St. Johns. The corpses were found in 2007. His co-defendant and former girlfriend, Hlengiwe Nene, was found not guilty as she was considered a victim of circumstances.

The two defendants were arrested in 2007 and have been in custody since then. A search at Nene's residence unveiled a cell phone which was owned by Charity Khumalo, one of the victims.

During trial, in March, Taki attempted to escape from the Westville prison along with seven other men. The prison break attempt was disrupted and the sugar-cane serial killer fell through a fourth floor ceiling and had to be hospitalized.

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