Three life sentences for man who raped, mutilated and murdered

Johannesburg - A Limpopo man has been sentenced to three life sentences by the Thohoyandou High Court for rape and murder, Limpopo police said on Monday. 

Azwitamisi Tshikhudo, 40, terrorised the communities of Musina and Makhado between 2010 and 2013, committing crimes including rape, murder, mutilation, housebreaking and robbery, police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ronel Otto said.

"He was finally brought to book in 2013, following the ritual murder of a 34-year-old Zimbabwean woman. After killing her he cut off her arm and hand with the intention to sell it and dumped her body high in a mountain, from where it had to be retrieved by a helicopter after his arrest."

On Friday the court sentenced Tshikhudo to two life sentences for two counts of rape and a third life sentence for the murder.

"All the other sentences, such as 10 years for housebreaking and 15 years imprisonment for robbery, will run concurrently with the life sentences," Otto said.