Multiple murder accused in Swellendam court

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The sister of a local teacher who was allegedly one of the victims of suspected multiple murderer Brian George Linos Mudyiwayana alias Prince, a 32-year-old Zimbabwean man, learnt of his arrest in the Mossel Bay Home Ads News on Tuesday.

"I read in the newspaper of the arrest. We don't know the full story yet, but we are relieved. We are waiting to hear more,"

Ncediswa Dangatye told the Mossel Bay Advertiser on Wednesday. Ncediswa says she was close to her sister and that she was a committed teacher at the same school for many years.

"We want to know if that man is going to face court in Mossel Bay. We want to see him." Mudyiwayana was arrested by police in Swellendam on Saturday, 9 February. He is suspected of committing several crimes including theft, housebreaking, kidnapping as well as several cases of murder committed in Mossel Bay, Swellendam, Wolseley and De Doorns.

Mossel Bay teacher
Lungelwa Dangatye (47) was found dead in her home in the JCC residential area, Mossel Bay, on 19 December 2017.

At the time of the crime, concerned family members had to force open the door to her home. Police reported that Dangatye's house was securely locked. Her body was found with hands tied behind the back. There were serious wounds to the head, the police reported. Soon after Dangatye's murder, the Da Gamaskop Police Station detectives started looking for a suspect, said to be a Zimbabwean man, known only as Prince.

The case was investigated by Sgt Deothine Vaas of the Da Gamaskop police, before the docket was transferred to a police task team in Swellendam.

Arrest
Two police officers from Swellendam, a husband and wife team serving in the Da Gamaskop police cluster, have been lauded for their excellent work in arresting Mudyiwayana.

Constables Enrico and Janene Albertus followed up information received from a source and set up an appointment with Mudyiwayana. This was followed by his arrest at the Swellenmark Mall on Saturday, 9 February. According to the police, Mudyiwayana's arrest is also linked to crimes committed in 2016.

These include the abduction of two women from Worcester, who were allegedly murdered in Swellendam. Mudyiwayana is also accused of the abduction of two other women from Wolseley, who were also allegedly murdered - in Swellendam.

Some of the bodies were found close to the Spioenskop Nature Reserve in Swellendam. The murder of an unidentified man from De Doorns is also being investigated, in which Mudyiwayana seems to be a suspect.

DNA results
Mudyiwayana appeared in the Swellendam Magistrate's Court for a second time this week on Tuesday, 19 February on two counts of murder. DNA samples from the crime scenes are said to link him to the crimes. DNA test results from the bodies of four other victims are pending.

According to Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie, Mudyiwayana is at this stage charged with the murder of a woman in Swellendam and one in Mossel Bay. Captain Pojie also said more charges could be added if it were found Mudyiwayana could be linked to all the reported murders.

Mudyiwayana will appear in court again on 1 March.

Constables Enrico and Janene Albertus with the deputy commander of the Da Gamaskop police cluster, Col Una Saayman, and Capt Errol Johnson.