SERIAL RAPE SUSPECT SPARKS ANGER, TEARS
Chaos Ntsieni warned housemates to be careful of killers
Suprise Mazibila THE grandmother of a nineyear-old girl who is believed to be one of the victims of a suspected serial rapist and killer nearly fainted when the man appeared in court for the first time yesterday.
Margaret Ndou, grandmother of Tshililo Ndou, said she could not bear the shock of laying eyes on the 24-year-old suspect.
It is alleged University of Venda student Ndivhuwo Godfrey Ntsieni kidnapped, raped and murdered Tshililo on April 27.
“I nearly fainted when I laid my eyes on him because he was a familiar face in the community,” Ndou said.
“I remember meeting him on the day of my granddaughter’s disappearance.
“He was one of the people I asked if he had not seen her.”
Chaos erupted outside the Thohoyandou Magistrate ’ s Court when more than 1 000 people turned up to catch a glimpse of Ntsieni.
A chanting and angry crowd comprising University of Venda students and residents protested outside the court.
Police battled to maintain order when the protesting crowd threatened to gate-crash their way into the court premises, while baying for the suspect ’ s blood and calling for a harsh sentence.
Police also had to trim the packed courtroom down after the gallery proved to be uncontrollable and chaotic as some shoved and pushed to get a glimpse of the suspect’s face for the first time.
Ntsieni bowed his head and avoided eye contact throughout the court proceedings.
He often nodded or shook his head when magistrate Olga Sigwavhulimu read out a total of 16 charges of various serious crimes.
The charges’ breakdown is as follows: four counts of murder, one for attempted murder, five rapes, three kidnappings and three cases of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The offences were allegedly committed between March and July this year.
Ntsieni opted to seek state legal representation from Legal Aid South Africa after the magistrate gave him several options.
His court appearance seemed to open old wounds as relatives of some of the deceased cried when they saw him.
“If found guilty, I wish that he be sentenced to life because I’m also not enjoying life without her, ” Ndou said of her granddaughter who was strangled, allegedly by Ntsieni.
Ntsieni’s case was postponed to October 21 pending further investigations.
He was remanded into custody. THE man facing charges of raping and killing women at the University of Venda allegedly warned his female housemates to be careful of killers operating in the area.
“He would warn us not to walk out at night. He liked to say, ‘ be careful, Golgotha is becoming dangerous’,” said a woman who lived in the same house with Ndivhuwo Godfrey Ntsieni.
The student shared a rented fiveroom house with Ntsieni, who is facing 16 charges including rape, murder, kidnapping and assault. She said she was shocked to learn that Ntsieni had been arrested. “I’ve known and stayed with him for one-and-a-half years without knowing that he is linked to this,” the tenant said.
She said Ntsieni loved playing computer games, listening to romantic music and decorating the walls of his room with pictures of women.
Another woman in the neighbourhood said Ntsieni’s face lingered on her mind on Wednesday night and she was unable to sleep as a result.
The shock that came with discovering that the man most wanted for a string of rapes and murders was a neighbour living opposite her house couldn’t give her peace of mind.
“To us he was just another Univen student renting a room in Golgotha,” said the woman, whose house faces the house across the road where Ntsieni stayed.