Seven life sentences for killing seven, including children

A NORTH West man has been found guilty of murder after he burnt five children and two adults to ashes in their home.

Yesterday, North West High Court Judge Samkelo Gura slapped Rapula Paulos Mogale, 49, with seven life sentences, 10 years for each two counts of attempted murder and six years for arson.

In March last year, Mogale set alight a shack belonging to his girlfriend’s parents, killing all its occupants. The incident happened in Koster.

Gura called Mogale a liar after he rejected his testimony that he did not cause the fire.

Mogale did admit that he went to his girlfriend’s parental home with a fivelitre bottle of petrol on the fateful evening.

He wanted to kill his girlfriend Mami Mwale, 31, blaming her for the death of their son, who died in 2015 after being sickly.

Mwale survived the inferno but her three children – Abram, 15, Refilwe, 10, and Ofentse, 8, – perished in the fire.

Other people who died were Mami’s mother Elizabeth Mwale, 74, older sister Christina, 40, her daughter Samantha, 12, and oneyear-old Precious.

Precious was the daughter of Mami’s cousin who was not present during the attack.

Mogale had said under cross-examination that the fire could have been started by a cigarette lit by Elizabeth, when she was smoking, or by a spark from the stove while he and Mami were fighting.

Gura said the testimony was different from those of the three other witnesses – Mami, her sister Emily and her aunt Lydia. The three women told the court that Mogale arrived uninvited and started pouring petrol over the shack before setting it on fire.

While under cross-examination, Mogale admitted that he planned and warned his girlfriend’s family that he was going to make sure that they perish in a fire.

He also said in front of the police, three days before the incident, that he was planning to kill Mami and her family by setting them alight.

When police asked him when he planned to do that, he said his mind would let him know.

Mogale was also burnt during the fire, mainly his hands and back.

“Instead of going to the hospital or police station you ran [into hiding]; it shows that you had a guilty mind hence you stayed away from people.

“It is surprising that someone can invite you and attack you on your arrival, what you told this court cannot be the truth, it’s unusual.

“You were not invited, you wanted to do what you had planned doing for a long time.

“I am satisfied that the accused is a liar... I find you guilty on all the counts,” Gura said.