Pretoria serial killer convicted of 7 murders

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A Pretoria High Court judge on Wednesday convicted Samuel Sidyno of seven murders, adding him to South Africa's growing list of serial killers. During his trial before Judge Johan van der Westhuizen, a picture emerged of a man who lured women and youths between the ages of 12 and 19 to a desolate hill not far from the Pretoria city centre. He lived nearby, in a room at a water tower close to the Pretoria Zoo. In the densely bushed area of Capital Park hill, Sidyno assaulted and strangled two women and five youths in a killing spree which lasted less than three months before the first body was discovered by a school janitor. The decomposing remains of his seven victims were discovered within a few days of each other - some by members of the public and others by police.

One of the bodies was found while Sidyno was pointing out the places where he killed his victims.

The victims were ritualistically placed on their stomachs, their shoes removed and their bodies covered with branches.

Many of the youths had their underpants removed and then replaced.

Sidyno, in a statement before the magistrate described in detail how he strangled each victim until they stopped moving.

In the Pretoria High Court, he gave a rambling and often incoherent account of what he alleged was daily torture sessions by up to 15 policemen.

He said the sessions were aimed at getting a confession from him.

He claimed he knew nothing about the murders and suggested the police must have murdered the seven people, and that he might well have been number eight.

The state paraded almost the entire Pretoria murder and robbery unit before him, but he could not point out his alleged attackers.

The only injury doctors and a magistrate recorded was an abrasion on his cheek.

Police said he was wearing leg irons and handcuffs when he pointed out the murder scenes, and fell on the rough terrain.

Van der Westhuizen on Monday rejected claims by Sidyno's counsel that he must be suffering from a mental illness, despite the fact that a state psychiatrist found him to be normal and able to stand trial.

He said Sidyno made a poor impression on the court and told obvious lies. His evidence was lively and enthusiastic, and he never gave the impression that he was suffering from a mental illness or defect.

Sidyno was convicted of murdering Paulinah Ledwaba and stealing her jeans. Sidyno was wearing her jeans during his arrest and some of her possessions were found in his room.

DNA evidence positively linked his semen and blood to a T-shirt and tissue found with her body.

Although there was no DNA to link Sidyno to the rest of the bodies - most of them found in a severely decomposed state - the judge said similar facts linked all of the cases.

All of the bodies, except the last one, were discovered close to each other on the hill near the Zoo.

The bodies were also arranged in a similar manner and Sidyno pointed out seven different scenes to the police in or very near to the places where the bodies were actually found.

The judge also convicted Sidyno for the murders of Elizabeth Senwamadi, two youths - Ronald Maoka and Emmanuel Mavuka N and three youths who could not be identified.

He could, however, not find Sidyno guilty of raping his two female victims because there was no positive evidence to the effect.

Sidyno, in his statement before the magistrate, claimed they consented to have sex with him, but started arguing about payment, which was why he murdered them.

The trial will continue on Thursday, when the State is expected to lead evidence about Sidyno's prior convictions - which he refused to admit. - Sapa