Woman Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison For Killing All Her Family Members

A judge at the Pretoria High Court has described the involvement of a daughter in the murder of her parents, pregnant sister, and brother as a profound betrayal.

Judge Mashudu Munzhelele sentenced 24-year-old Onthatile Sebati to 25 years in prison for her role in the 2016 killings, while her cousins Tumelo and Kagiso Mokone received life sentences.

The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of Onthatile’s father, police constable Solomon Lucky Sebati; her mother, nurse Mmatshepo; her 19-year-old pregnant sister, Tshegofatso; and her three-year-old brother, Quinton, all shot in their home in Mmakau, North West.

At the time of the murders, Onthatile was just 15 years old, while her cousins were both 18.

Judge Munzhelele noted the emotional devastation caused by the crime, emphasizing the profound impact of a family member’s involvement.

“The murd3r 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 k!lling of her family intensifies the emotional devastation and the seriousness of the crime,” the judge stated.

The state alleged that Onthatile orchestrated the killings and recruited her cousins to execute the crime, granting them access to the house and her father’s service firearm. Kagiso shot the family while Tumelo waited in the getaway vehicle.

Following the murders, Onthatile paid her cousins R100,000 from insurance proceeds.

In a shocking development, five years after the crime, Onthatile confessed to relatives, which resulted in their arrests.

They faced charges of theft, four counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and possession of a firearm and ammunition, ultimately being found guilty earlier this year.

The court heard that Onthatile’s betrayal has caused deep emotional scars within the Sebati family, with many relatives grappling with mental health issues stemming from the tragedy.

The judge ruled that the trio is unfit to possess firearms and granted them two weeks to appeal their sentences.

Onthatile’s aunt, Japhitaline Sebati, welcomed the sentencing as “justice served,” stating, “It is painful to see such an intelligent child waste her future, but I hope she gets rehabilitated.”