Brothers, friend guilty of Sebati family massacre

THE Gauteng High Court, Pretoria has found Tumelo Mokone, 24, Kagiso Mokone, 24, and Onthantile Sebati, 21, guilty of four counts of murder, theft, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.

This is after the state was able to adduce evidence, that Sebati conspired with her two male friends to kill her family members while the family was at their home in Mmakau, in the north-western outskirts of Pretoria.

During the day on December 6, 2016, the two went to Sebati's house to collect her father's firearm. In the evening of that same day, they returned to the house.

Sebati went outside pretending to dispose of water, but went to open the gate for the two and gave Kagiso her father's car keys that was parked outside.

Tumelo then proceeded to enter the house where he shot and killed Sebati's 42-year-old father, a 40-yearold mother, a 19-year-old pregnant sister and her 6-year-old brother.

The two then drove off in the vehicle belonging to Sebati's father. However, they abandoned the vehicle after it got stuck in the mud a few meters away from the house.

On December 17, 2021, Sebati handed herself to the police and made a confession which led to the arrest of Tumelo and Kagiso on December 18, 2021.

After their arrest the two also made confessions to the police, stating the role they each played the night Sebati's family was killed.

However, during the trial, they all pleaded not guilty to the charges and disputed the confessions. After the trial within a trial, the judge ruled that the confessions were admissible.

Prosecutor Advocate Eric Sihlangu then led evidence that indeed Sebati organised a hit against her family and paid the two R50 000 each for the job.

Furthermore, Kagiso was also linked to the offence by his fingerprints which were found in the car.

During the judgment, the judge agreed with the state that it had overwhelming evidence against the three. Therefore, the three were found guilty of all the charges preferred against them.

The matter was postponed to April 16 to 19, for sentencing proceedings.