The Pietermaritzburg High Court has sentenced 32-year-old Ben Mbhele to four life terms for murdering four of his nieces and nephews in September last year.
The murders happened in the KwaNzimakwe area near Port Shepstone on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.
The children between the ages of four and 12 were stabbed to death by Mbhele, assisted by another man.
The victims’ ears were cut-off, allegedly to be used for muthi purposes by a traditional healer in Durban. The children’s mother, S’lindile Mbhele had gone out to friends and left the children watching television, when they were attacked by the men.
The motive for the killing was found to be financial gain as the uncle had taken out insurance with various companies on all four the children.
