A Zimbabwean man has sparked public outrage after pleading not guilty to seven (7) murder charges after initially admitting to committing the crimes in 2021.
The Seshego community and loved ones of the seven women thought to have been murdered by Themba Dube say he has shown no remorse for the murders and abuse he confessed to in 2021.
Dube, a 36-year-old illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe, pleaded not guilty to all charges raised against him except the contravention of the Illegal Immigration Act 13 of 2002.
He appeared before the Limpopo High Court Polokwane Division on Monday (January 23) for trial, the Polokwane Observer reported.
What did he do:
Dube, who comes from Mpaya village in Gwanda, Zimbabwe, is charged with kidnapping and murdering seven women from Polokwane and the surrounding region.
These women are Molebogeng Mothebeli, a citizen of Lesotho, Sara Mothiba, Khomotso Makhura, Sanah Senyatsi, Andrea Cholo, Jane Letswalo, and Chisimango Gumbo, a citizen of Zimbabwe (48).
After a brief appearance and a postponement on January 16 to give the defense more time to submit its case to the state, his trial started this week.
He faces seven counts of kidnapping, seven counts of rape, seven counts of murder, defeating the ends of justice and entering South Africa illegally.
Since his arrest by the Seshego Community Against Crime and Gangsterism organization and subsequent transfer to the Seshego police on October 29, 2021, Dube has been in detention.
Members of the organization discovered bloody garments in a Seshego rental room at the time, which appeared to belong to some of the victims.
Dube reportedly admitted to killing multiple women and gave the police the sites of the graves where his victims’ bodies had been deposited.
Some of the bodies found were in a decomposed state and had to undergo forensic testing to determine their identities.
Additionally, he was positively connected to one murder investigation after he was discovered in possession of a woman’s reported missing phone. In court, he said he just picked it up.
Divine Phofu, a supporter from Seshego, said it was terrible to watch grieving families as they shared a home with the man who denied any culpability while admitting to killing the women.