A love cheat from South Africa who stabbed his former part-time model girlfriend to death has complained that an evil spirit forced him to do it as he was convicted of her murder.

Attractive Simnikiwe Mfengu’s death shocked the modelling world after it was reported that her boyfriend, Muepa Kasongo, stabbed her 11 times on Monday, 3rd December, 2018.

The woman, aged 22, had worked as an assistant at a retail store in Tyger Valley, Bellville, Western Cape, South Africa and was reportedly well-loved in modelling circles.

She and Kasongo who worked as a petrol attendant and set builder had dated for two years before she broke up with him when he cheated on her.

But two days before her death, Kasongo paid her a visit during working hours and demanded to talk to her.

When she told him that she was busy, the man refused to leave the store until the manager called security who threw him out.

But as he did not stop contacting her, Simnikiwe let him in to discuss the situation when he turned up at her home at night in the coastal area of Silversands a day later.

Neighbours claimed they then heard the woman crying and screaming at about 9pm the same day.

They also reportedly heard Simnikiwe ask Kasongo: “Why are you doing this to me?”

She was last seen alive standing outside her place of residence with Kasongo before they disappeared inside.

Her lifeless body was found inside her house the next day.

Four years following her death Kasongo showed up at the Western Cape High Court to answer for murder, theft and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Authorities alleged that the man assaulted Simnikiwe by dragging and biting her and subjecting her to abuse which resulted in physical injuries.

Kasongo is also alleged to have taken her phone, in an attempt to cut off her communications.

According to his version of events, the woman suddenly attacked him in the middle of the night after which he took a pair of scissors and stabbed her in self-defence.

He also claimed that he was possessed by an “evil spirit” that made him lose control over his actions.

University of Cape Town Professor of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Naeemah Abrahams, said: “They say that they snapped, or they lost control, but they were actually trying to gain control of their partner.”

Abrahams explained that Kasongo’s behaviour showed that he only refused to accept responsibility for his actions.

The court found him guilty of stabbing the victim to death but the sentence has not yet been revealed