Location(s): The rural Natal midlands town of Donnybrook.

Note: He was found guilty of 18 murders and 10 rapes.

All his victims were between 20 and 30. His modus operandi was to kick open the door of his victims house, shoot the men in the head and drag the women to nearby plantations, where he would rape them repeatedly - sometimes for as long as five hours - and kill them. If they resisted he would shoot them first and commit necrophilia. Sometimes he would attack women from behind in footpaths in the area. He also attempted to murder another 11.

  

ZIKODE, Christopher Mhlengwa

A South African predator known as the "Donnybrook Serial Killer," after the rural Natal midlands town where his crimes were committed, Zikode murdered 18 victims and attempted to kill 11 more between 1993 and 1995. 

Launching his rampage at age 19, Zikode followed the same modus operandi in most of his attacks: choosing a likely house, he kicked the door in, gunned down any men or boys on hand, then dragged the females off to nearby plantations where they were raped repeatedly-for up to five hours at a stretchbefore they, too, were killed. lf the women resisted his assault, Zikode was not above shooting them first and then raping their corpses. 

An alternative technique, employed with several victims, involved ambushin women or girls on lonely footpaths, carrying them ori to be raped and killed.

Zikode was arrested for the first time in July 1995 for the attempted murder of a female victim named Beauty Zulu.  Granted bail on that charge, he committed at least five more offenses-including one murder, one rape, two attempted murders, and one housebreaking with intent to rape-before he was jailed again in September.  Held this time without bond, Zikode went to trial in late 1996, the proceedings highlighted by South Africas star forensic profiler, Dr. Micki Pistorius. 

Finally convicted on 21 charges including eight murders, five rapes, five attempted murders, and one indecent assault-all committed between April and September 1995-Zikode was sentenced on January 7. 1997, to a prison term of 140 years.  The High Court judge who sentenced him avoided comment on the "gory details" of the case but did remark specifically on Zikode's "contemptible" attitude toward women.

Michael Newton - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers - Hunting Humans

Christopher Mhlengwa Zikode

aka Donnybrook Serial Killer

Known as the "Donnybrook Serial Killer," Zikode murdered 18 people and attempted to murder another 11 over a period of two years in the rural Natal midlands town of Donnybrook in South Africa. All his victims were between 20 and 30. His modus operandi was to kick open the door of his victims' house, shoot the men in the head and drag the women to nearby plantations, where he would rape them repeatedly - sometimes for as long as five hours - and kill them. If they resisted he would shoot them first and commit necrophilia. Sometimes he would attack women from behind in footpaths in the area. Mhlengwa, 21 was arrested on September 29, 1995.

On January 7, 1997, a High Court judge sentenced 23-year-old Zikode (23) to 140 years in prison, including five life sentences for a six-month rape and murder rampage. The judge said during sentencing that Zikode had absolutely no regard for human life and his attitude to women was "contemptible," and found it unnecessary to review the "gory details" of the case. Zikode was convicted on 21 charges, including eight murders, five rapes, five attempted murders and one indecent assault, between April and September 1995.

The judge noted "with dismay" that Zikode was arrested for the first time in July 1995 for the attempted murder of Beauty Zulu. While on bail he committed five more offences - two attempted murders, housebreaking with intent to rape and murder.

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