Serial killer suspect 'a nice guy'

THE suspected University of Venda serial killer and alleged rapist was very protective of women and even warned those he shared a rented house with never to go out at night "as people were getting killed" in Thohoyandou, Limpopo.

The BSc student is facing 16 charges, including murder, attempted murder, rape, aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

According to the student's 20- year-old housemate in Golgotha, Thohoyandou, the third-year biochemistry student always made sure their doors were locked.

"When bodies were being discovered, he warned us never to go out at night as Golgotha was getting dangerous," the student said.

She said the man had no visitors, except for his father and two girlfriends. "He had pictures of women on his wall," she said.

Classmates and neighbours described him as respectful, humble and motivating. "I can't believe this is the man who always motivated us, the man I was close to as a friend and enjoyed watching playing pool in the [university] cafeteria," a 21-year-old fellow student said.

The student was on the verge of being awarded his degree on completion of a last module (fermentation) which he had failed, to complete his four-year BSc in food science and technology degree.

Five members of the elite provincial task team, assigned to the case after an uproar from students about a series of murders and rapes, tracked him down early this week.

Accompanied by members of the Tactical Response Team, the team raided his house on Tuesday evening.

"He was found relaxed on his bed watching television. He did not resist. Police searched his room and they [allegedly] found items linked to some of the deceased," provincial police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

A police source involved in the operation said the suspect was, among other things, tracked through cellphones of the victims in his possession. Dressed in blue jeans and a dark blue jacket and with his legs shackled, the student kept his head bowed as magistrate Olga Sigwavhulimu read out the counts to him.

Public order police battled to control the crowd of about 200 people packing the public gallery as well as the alley of the small Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court room D.

Outside the court, security guards kept back about 1000 angry students and residents who tried to storm the court.

The 24-year-old is accused of kidnapping, raping killing and robbing student Livhuwani Mmbodi, 22, Tshililo Ndou, 9, Alice Mashau, 8, and cleaner Brenda Ndove, 45, between March and June.

Their bodies were found dumped in and around the University of Venda campus in Thohoyandou.

He is also accused of the attempted murder in May of student Shudufhadzo Thagisa, 20, who is fighting for her life in a Gauteng hospital.

The victims were either strangled or stabbed. On searching the student's rented room, police allegedly found Thagisa's cellphone and student card, Ndove's cellphone and Mmbodi's hairpin.

The suspect was not asked to plead and opted for legal aid.

The case was postponed to October 21 for further investigation. - Sipho Masombuka, Kingdom Mabuza and Graeme Hosken