First witness details discovery of decomposing bodies in case of man accused of killing sex workers

JOHANNESBURG - The State has brought out its first witness in its case against alleged serial killer Sipho Mkhwanazi at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court.

Twenty-one-year-old Mkhwanazi is facing six counts of murder, seven of rape and several other charges that were committed between April and October of 2022.

Michael Damian, a caretaker at New City Estate that manages the building where the bodies of the six sex workers were found took to the stand to testify on Monday.

Damian explained that on 9 October 2022, he was hit by a pungent stench as he was assessing the building in question, and this prompted him to open an office door only to discover a lifeless body.

He further detailed the events leading up to the discovery of the bodies and his confrontation with the accused.

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According to Damien, he was washing his vehicle in the basement before going up to conduct his assessments where he was met with a stench emanating from the decomposing body. 

He said he used his torch to try to illuminate the body before calling the building's security to verify if indeed it was a dead body. 

Damian added that he reached out to Mkhwanazi's father Mark Khumalo and the head of the security company to go and confront the accused - who upon the arrival of the trio allegedly attempted to flee.

“As soon as he saw me, he starts running, we caught him and the father asked him why are you running, and he said he forgot something in the house."

Lead State prosecutor Advocate Mashabela is leading Damian's testimony and will present more evidence against the accused.