A South African man was handed six life terms in jail today for killing a one-year-old girl, her mother and grandmother in one of the most shocking murders in the history of the state.
Judge Monica Leeuw dismissed William Kekana's defence that he killed the white family as retribution for apartheid, the South African Press Association reported, pointing out he was too young to remember much of the days of white rule.
"[That is] a sublime piece of nonsense . . . South Africa does not need a man like you, not now, and not in a very long time," the news agency quoted Judge Leeuw as saying.
"As far as women are concerned, they have been humiliated by men like you who use sex as a form of punishment."
Kekana (20) was convicted of hijacking, raping and murdering one-year-old Kayla, her mother Janine Drennan and her grandmother Hester Rawstone on July 31th last year - the day of the little girl's first birthday. Kayla was shot twice, while her mother had 14 bullet wounds.
After the first crime, Kekana and an accomplice, who died in a shootout with police, kidnapped a 17-year-old girl. Kenana told the court this was because his friend wanted both men to have a rape victim.
Judge Leeuw sentenced Kekana to six life terms plus a further 60 years in prison on 14 charges related to the crimes, effectively a 210-year sentence.