JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, July 25 (UPI) -- A man accused of raping 33 girls and two women in South Africa was found dead in a jail cell Thursday, shortly before he was to stand trial, officials said.
Sifiso Makhubo, who faced 122 charges, including rape, kidnapping, robbery, murder and attempted murder, was found hanged inside a jail cell in Johannesburg Thursday morning, The Star (South Africa) reported.
Police said Makhubo was alone at the time.
Makhubo, who was HIV positive, was the first suspect in South Africa to be charged with attempted murder for raping women, knowing he would likely infect him with human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS.
National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Phindi Louw said she was informed of Makhubo's alleged suicide and called the details "sketchy."
"To them [witnesses] it would have been closure. I just feel sad for the victims," she said.
