Man up for murder, necrophilia

2003-09-22 23:51

Jabu Mhlabane

Witbank - A young engineering student accused of killing a policeman and later raping and killing a girl and keeping her body in his bed for three days, appeared in the Pretoria regional court on Monday.

Themba Mthombeni, 21, from Mhluzi near Middelburg in Mpumalanga, has already pleaded guilty to the policeman's murder, saying he did so in self defence when the cop allegedly tried to sodomise him.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing the policeman's car, firearm and cellphone.

The policeman met Mthombeni in a bar and offered him a place to stay for the night after Mthombeni had been kicked out of his flat in Sunnyside, Pretoria, in July last year.

Mthombeni's case was scheduled for judgment on Monday, but the case was postponed to October 7 because his lawyer was ill.

Mthombeni is still on trial in the Witbank district court for the rape and murder of a first-year student in January this year.

Thandiwe Masimula, 18, was found shot dead in Mthombeni's bed in a block of flats in Witbank, Mpumalanga.

She'd been dead for three days.

Mthombeni faces charges of murder, rape, and necrophilia after he allegedly told police that he had sex with her after she had died.

He also faces charges of attempted rape involving Masimula's flatmate, and a charge of attempted murder and the possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition after he allegedly confronted two joggers while fleeing after the flatmate screamed for help.

He remains in custody until his next appearance in the Witbank district court on September 29.

- African Eye