Justice served as ‘teen girl’ who ordered her family’s killing is found guilty

Onthatile Sebati and her two cousins, Tumelo and Kagiso Mokone, conspired together to murder her policeman father, mother, pregnant sister and little brother for personal financial gain in 2016.

Solomon and Mmatshepo Sebati, their 19-year-old pregnant daughter Tshegofatso and their youngest child, three-year-old Quinton were murdered in what police initially thought was a home invasion and robbery gone wrong at their home at Mmakau near Brits in the North West in December 2016.

Onthatile Sebati was grazed by a bullet on her upper thigh. It later transpired in admissions made by the accused that she had told her cousin to wound her.

The trio were found guilty on all charges against them on Wednesday in the Pretoria high court. Sentencing was postponed to April so the pre-sentencing report can be completed.

Judge Mashudu Munzhelele gave a brief but firm judgment in an air-conditioned courtroom with so much potential for heated tempers that a police officer cleared the row of seats behind the accused before they entered the courtroom to face judgment.

“The state argued that admissions made by the accused prove murder was committed. The council for the state further argued that statements made by the accused show there was an agreement to murder.

“The state produced evidence. Telephonic conversations, bank statements, fingerprints, linking the accused to a Chrysler that was stolen from the deceased on the night of the murder,” judge Munzhelele added. 

“The state argued that the accused acted within common purpose. The state argued that the alibi raised by the accused is not supported by the fingerprints in the Chrysler.

“Accused number two’s defence of mental disturbance cannot stand because when she made confessions she was sound of mind and senses,” Munzhelele said.

She raised the arguments made by the defence on behalf of their clients.

“Arguments on behalf of accused number one is that there is not enough evidence on which the court can convict accused number one.

“The fingerprints were not disputed, but there was no reasonable explanation given to explain their presence in the Chrysler,” the judge said.

A satisfied collective sigh seemed to come from one of the collected family members in the gallery, signalling their approval.

“This is a profoundly distressing case which will leave an indelible mark on the community of Mmakau. Four members of a family were gunned down when they were about to go to sleep. This included a three-year-old baby boy. The sanctity and safety of a home was shattered by these unthinkable acts of brutality,” Munzhelele said before finding the accused guilty on all counts they were facing. 

These included murder, aggravated robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The question of pre-sentencing bail did not wait long to be answered.

Dolly Brown — a niece of Sebati’s father, the late Solomon Lucky Sebati, 41, a police officer, pastor and businessman who also owned a funeral parlour — expressed the family’s view. 

“We want them to stay in jail until they are sentenced. They are dangerous, especially that boy who pulled the trigger,” Brown told TimesLIVE Premium, after the trio’s lawyers made their cases for them to be released on bail.

“Saying they have a family business and have come to court on every date does not mean they won’t run now.”

Munzhelele’s ruling showed she had the same thoughts. 

“The circumstances have changed. The accused have now been found guilty of serious crimes,” she said before ordering that the three accused remain in custody until their date of sentencing in April.

Two other men, Karabo Mokgosi and Tebogo Chidi, were arrested after the murders, but charges were later withdrawn when the sole surviving member of the Sebati family and her two cousins were linked to the murders.

Brown said the court should also take into consideration the suffering the two wrongfully accused men endured. 

“Just think of those two men and the time they spent in the cells with everybody in the community believing they killed a three-year-old boy,” Brown said.

She expressed that she is angry and sad.

“It is terrible that three more lives will now be wasted. Sending them to jail will bring nobody back but at least our late family members will have justice.”