Phumzile Mabope, the 19-year-old responsible for the rape and murder of a senior citizen in Uitenhage, has been found guilty on a slew of charges.

Disturbing details emerged during the trial of Mabope. In his plea deal with the state, Mabope detailed the horrific crime.

Mabope jumped a wall to steal avocados

On 23 February 2017, Mabope scaled a face brick wall in order to steal avocados from a tree on the Luyt Street property. He then noticed the door to the home was open.

Mabope made his way inside the home and began looking for items to steal. He ransacked the bedroom and moved onto the kitchen.

While in the kitchen he was disturbed by a noise and chose to hide under a bed. Later, he returned to the kitchen for a second time and proceeded to raid the cupboards.

Maria Vermaak, the 95-year-old homeowner, unwittingly returned back to her place of residence, while Mabope rummaged through her belongings.

This is when the home invasion turned deadly. Herald Live covered Mabope’s testimony in which admits:

“As I opened her food cupboards, she [Vermaak] again returned to the house. She opened the door to a room when I unlawfully and intentionally assaulted her by grabbing her around the neck and strangled her with my hands. She opened the door to a room when I unlawfully and intentionally assaulted her by grabbing her around the neck and strangled her with my hands.”

“My intention was to have sex with a corpse” – Mabope

Mabope then proceeded to strangle the senior citizen with a telephone cord. According to the murderer’s testimony, he then left the property to continue his crime spree elsewhere.

But, a few hours later, he returned. This was when the home invasion-turned-murder, devolved into something far more sinister. Mabope said at his hearing:

“I thought that she was dead. My intention was to have sex with a corpse.”

But Judge Dayalin Chetty of the Port Elizabeth High Court dismissed Mabope’s claims of necrophilia.

Referencing a post-mortem report, Judge Chetty argued that Vermaak was still alive when sexually assaulted by Mabope, saying:

“I am satisfied that the deceased was‚ to the knowledge of the accused‚ alive when he raped her and that his denial to the contrary can summarily be rejected.”

Chetty convicted Mabope on 12 charges‚ including seven counts of house robbery with intent to steal‚ robbery‚ rape and murder‚ among others.

Read: The Pietermaritzburg serial killer who targeted pensioners has been arrested