The involvement of a 24-year-old woman in the murder of her parents, pregnant sister, and brother has been described by a Pretoria high court judge as a profound betrayal.
Judge Mashudu Munzhelele sentenced Onthatile Sebati to 25 years in prison for her role in the 2016 killings, while her cousins Tumelo and Kagiso Mokone were handed life sentences.
The horrific incident saw the deaths of Onthatile’s father, police constable Solomon Lucky Sebati, her mother Mmatshepo, a nurse, her 19-year-old pregnant sister Tshegofatso, and her three-year-old brother Quinton, all shot in their home in Mmakau, North West. Onthatile was 15 years old at the time of the killings, while her cousins were both 18.
Judge Munzhelele remarked on the emotional devastation caused by the crime, particularly the involvement of a family member. “The murder of four individuals, including parents and children, is a heinous act of violence, and the fact that accused number two [Onthatile], a family member, was an accomplice in the killing of her family intensifies the emotional devastation and the seriousness of the crime,” the judge stated.
According to the state, Onthatile planned the killings and enlisted her cousins to carry out the crime, even providing them access to the house and her father’s service firearm. Kagiso shot the family while Tumelo waited in the getaway vehicle. After the murders, Onthatile paid her cousins R100,000 from insurance payouts.
In a shocking turn of events, five years after the crime, Onthatile confessed to relatives, leading to their arrests. They were charged with theft, four counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and possession of a firearm and ammunition, and were found guilty earlier this year.
The court heard that Onthatile’s betrayal has left deep emotional scars on the Sebati family, with relatives struggling with mental health issues stemming from the tragedy. The judge declared the trio unfit to possess firearms and gave them two weeks to appeal their sentences.
Onthatile’s aunt, Japhitaline Sebati, hailed the sentencing as “justice served,” adding, “It is painful to see such an intelligent child waste her future, but I hope she gets rehabilitated.”
