An alleged serial killer and rapist accused of terrorising Pretoria, Ekurhuleni and the North West for six years has pleaded not guilty to more than 30 charges – including the chilling murder of a Pretoria DJ who had just given a stranger a lift out of kindness.
Lucky Mnisi, 35, appeared in the Gauteng High Court, sitting in the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court, on Monday as his trial finally got under way.
The night the prophecy ended in gunfire
According to the State, the DJ was driving through Soshanguve on the evening of 22 September 2022 when his girlfriend spotted a troubled-looking man walking on the side of the road. She asked her boyfriend to stop the car so she could prophesy over the stranger.
The DJ interpreted the prophecy for the man. The man then asked for a lift.
As he climbed into the back of the vehicle, the State says, he shot the DJ in the back of the head. He then allegedly took the girlfriend to a nearby bush, where she was raped and robbed.
The firearm used, the State contends, was a state-issued pistol taken from a police officer who had been murdered just three weeks earlier – allegedly by the same man.
The murdered constable
The indictment states that in the early hours of 3 September 2022, police officer Benson Mongwe was parked on the side of the road in Winterveldt with his girlfriend in a state vehicle, having a conversation.
Two men allegedly approached them, both armed. Mongwe reportedly drew his state-issued firearm to shoot – but the gun jammed. He was shot and robbed of the weapon and other belongings. He died in hospital six days later.
Six months later, police followed up a tip-off about a man in possession of a firearm and searched Mnisi's home, where they allegedly found the gun and 15 rounds of ammunition.
The indictment read:
"Forensic evidence confirmed that the recovered firearm was the same one robbed from the deceased in count one [Mongwe], and that it killed the deceased [Sibiya] in count seven."
The State said the 9mm Beretta had its serial number obliterated.
Mnisi made two admissions after his plea – that he was found in possession of the firearm and the ammunition. That admission did not stretch to obliterating the serial number.
DNA opened a six-year-old cold case
With Mnisi in custody, DNA taken from the bush where the DJ's girlfriend was raped allegedly linked him to a string of crimes dating back six years.
19 August 2016 – Tsakane, Ekurhuleni: A woman walking in the street at night was allegedly raped and robbed of her cellphone.
19 November 2016 – Morula View, Mabopane: Four people who parked their car next to the road to relieve themselves were allegedly accosted. The State says Mnisi shot Nhlanhla Sibiya in the stomach. The bullet exited Sibiya's stomach and struck Amohelang Mohale, who died at the scene. Sibiya survived. One of the complainants was allegedly raped after the shooting.
27 November 2016 – Hebron, North West: Thembisile Mkhize was allegedly raped and murdered. Her body was found on the side of the street in Itsoseng Phase 2. DNA again allegedly linked Mnisi to the scene.
27 December 2016 – Stinkwater, near Hammanskraal (now Reefentse): A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped at gunpoint.
11 February 2022 – Mabopane: Colbert Maimela was found dead in his bakkie at a stop street. Mnisi's fingerprints were allegedly found at the scene.
The State says that in every single incident, the complainants were robbed of their belongings, including cash and cellphones.
"He was not there"
In a short plea explanation, Mnisi's Legal Aid attorney, Sanet Simpson, told the court that the accused did not place himself at any crime scene as alleged by the State.
He faces five murder charges, along with rape, kidnapping and multiple counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances – more than 30 charges in total.
The trial continues.
