Norman Afzal Simons
Norman Simons | |
|---|---|
| Born | Norman Afzal Simons |
| Other names | The Station Strangler |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment (25 years for murder, 10 years for kidnap) |
| Details | |
| Victims | 22 |
Span of crimes | 1986–1994 |
| Country | South Africa |
Date apprehended | 1994 |
Norman Afzal Simons is a South African rapist and serial killer who was convicted in 1995 on one count of murder and one count of kidnapping Elroy van Rooyen, Age 10. He was sentenced to 35 years (25 for murder and 10 for kidnap) in prison.[1]
Simons was a well educated individual capable of speaking 7 languages.[2]He was employed as a Grade 5 teacher at Alpine Primary School in East Ridge, Mitchell’s Plain. Simons’s victims were all young boys aged between 9 and 13.[3] Simons and his victims were all mixed race from the Cape Malays community.
Simons is believed to have started his sporadic series of murders in October 1986 culminating in his arrest eight years later in 1994. He collected his moniker after it became apparent that most of his victims were lured away from train stations. (Similar modus operandi to Andrei Chikatilo.
Simons raped and sodomised his victims before strangling them. Victims were found face down with their hands tied behind their back in shallow sandy graves. The victims underwear was occasionally found around their necks, presumably used as a garrote. Hand written notes were also found next to some victims.[3] Simons relationship with his older brother seems to have a major bearing in his criminal activities. Simons alleges that his brother raped and sodomised him as a youngster. He also reports ‘hearing voice‘ from his brother instructing him to kill. Simons brother was murdered in 1991.
Simons appeared before magistrates in 1995 on one charge of murder and kidnap. His trial lasted three months leading to a conviction and life sentence. He is currently serving his sentence in Drakenstein Maximum Correctional Facilty, Paarl. Simons appealed his conviction in 1998, but his conviction was upheld. In 2005, an inquest was opened into the deaths of the remaining victims. After three years of further analysis, the victims parents came no closer to an answer. On the 9th of December 2008, Regional Magistrate Marelize Rolle stated that she believed prima facie evidence showed Simons was probably responsible for the deaths of at least 6 of the other victims. However, due to the time lapse, she ruled out further prosecutions in the case.[4]