Govt to help SA man held for US murders

2011-04-14 15:55

Johannesburg - The South African government is providing consular assistance to a suspected serial killer who was arrested in the United States, the department of international relations said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Clayson Monyela said: "We have heard about the case in the state of New Mexico.

"Normally when a South African is in distress in another country, the embassy will render consular assistance."

Eyewitness News earlier reported that Muziwokuthula Madonda, 33, was suspected of being a serial killer and was to stand trial in New Mexico.

He had been arrested for allegedly killing two men in a motel room and was being held in a Texas prison awaiting extradition to New Mexico.

It reported that Madonda had allegedly confessed to killing another two people at an earlier date.

After his arrest, he allegedly confessed to hatching a plan to rob the vice-president of Akron Bank in Ohio, Jacquelyn Hilder, who he shot twice.

Two days after Hilder was killed, Madonda allegedly shot a South African from Durban, who had been living in New York.

Madonda is reportedly in the US on a student visa.

- SAPA