A Midrand taxi driver, who claimed the "devil" made him kidnap, rape and murder a passenger by bashing her to death with a brick, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday.

Sentencing Xolani Nyaba (31) to life and 35 years imprisonment, Acting Judge Vivian Tlhapi said Nyaba had "beaten his victim to a pulp" and there were no compelling circumstances to justify any lesser sentence.

Nyaba admitted he had on 10 May last year kidnapped, robbed, raped and murdered 22-year-old student Catherine Ivy Flietoor after taking her to a deserted spot near Centurion.

He told the court he felt "very bad" about what he did, but said he had not planned the killing, had acted on the spur of the moment and was "devil-possessed".

He claimed he had throttled his victim and bashed her with a brick because she was "aggressive and started screaming".

Judge Tlhapi said it was clear from photos of the gruesome murder scene that Nyaba had already attacked Flietoor while they were still on the gravel road before he dragged her into the bushes.

"It took me days and days and days just to build up the courage to look at these photos.

"...I don't believe the story that after you raped her, she started fighting," the judge said.

She said the photos showed clearly that Nyaba had already undressed and injured his victim before he dragged her deeper into the bush.

"Anyone who looks at the face of this woman can only conclude that you wished to kill her so that she could not identify the person who had raped and robbed her."

Horrific injuries

The base of Flietoor's skull had been crushed, her nose completely squashed, there were deep lacerations exposing bone and she had bled through her ears.

The judge said although Nyaba's mother had died when he was young and he left school in standard five, he had improved his circumstances when he came to Johannesburg and had a job, a home and a girlfriend who was expecting a baby when he committed the crimes.

She stressed that passengers entrusted their lives and safety to taxi drivers and it was therefore not strange that the deceased had believed Nyaba when he said he would deliver her to her destination.

Judge Tlhapi said no one, not even the accused, would at any time in their lives want to find their sister or a relative in Flietoor's condition.

"Our community are plagued with robberies, rapes and murders. By this deed you showed you had no respect for the possessions, dignity and life of this woman.

"From your previous convictions I can see you're a thief and a robber," she added.

Flietoor?s father, Johannes, said he was not happy about Nyaba's life sentence.

"He?ll still use our taxes to enjoy what he did not work for. He should be hanged or killed in the same way as he killed my daughter...It was a horrible thing that happened to my daughter... How can I forgive him?" he said.

Flietoor?s fiancee, Winnies Bvuma, said her death had been a terrible shock to him.

"There?s no way I can ever forgive him. The law did what it was supposed to do. I just wish him nightmares in jail," he said.

Flietoor's family described her as a pretty, gentle and trusting girl who had always laughed.

She had great plans for the future and was working part-time while studying.