A judge from the Pretoria high court has labeled the involvement of a daughter in the murders of her parents, pregnant sister, and brother as a severe 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 event resulted in 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. At the time of the murders, Onthatile was just 15, and her cousins were both 18.
Judge Munzhelele emphasized the emotional devastation wrought by the crime, especially due to the family connection. “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 prosecution, Onthatile orchestrated the killings and enlisted her cousins to execute the crime, even granting them access to the house and her father’s service weapon. Kagiso shot the family members while Tumelo waited in the getaway car. Following the murders, Onthatile paid her cousins R100,000 from insurance payouts.
In a shocking twist, five years after the crime, Onthatile confessed to her relatives, leading to 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 learned that Onthatile’s betrayal has inflicted deep emotional scars on the Sebati family, with relatives struggling with mental health issues stemming from the tragedy. The judge deemed the trio unfit to possess firearms and granted them two weeks to appeal their sentences.
Onthatile’s aunt, Japhitaline Sebati, called the sentencing “justice served,” expressing sorrow over seeing such an intelligent young woman waste her potential, while hoping for her rehabilitation.
