20 Dec

Woman, 20, two alleged hitmen in court for killing her parents, two siblings

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  • A young woman and two men she allegedly hired to kill her family have appeared in court, facing five counts of murder.
  • Onthatile Sebati, 20, allegedly hired Kagiso and Tumelo Mokone to kill her family members.
  • Her elder sister was pregnant when she was killed.

The 20-year-old woman who reportedly confessed to orchestrating the murders of her parents and two siblings has made her first appearance in court.

Onthatile Sebati, 20, was joined by her alleged hitmen Kagiso Mokone, 23, and Tumelo Mokone, also aged 23.

They appeared briefly in the Brits Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

They are facing five counts of murder.

Sebati and the Mokones have not pleaded in court.

They were remanded in custody and are expected to bring a formal bail application.

North West police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Amanda Funani said the Mokones were separately arrested on Friday and Saturday.

One of the two men was arrested in Brits in the North West, and the other was arrested in Soshanguve outside Pretoria. 

The two were arrested after Sebati confessed to the North West police last week that she had hired the Mokones to kill her parents, 18-year-old pregnant sister, and six-year-old brother.

On 6 December 2016, the victims were killed in their home at Mmakau village in Brits.

At the time, Sebati was 16, and the Mokones were both 19.

Funani said Sebati approached the Mmakau police station and confessed to killing her parents and siblings. 

"On 6 December 2016, Sebati went outside to dispose of the water she had been using to wash dishes. While outside, she heard gunshots inside the house and went back to investigate.

"The suspects allegedly shot her in the thigh and fled the scene with the family's Chrysler Voyager," said Funani.

Sebati then alerted neighbours, who informed the police about the killings of her parents and siblings. 

"Police found [the] lifeless bodies of a 42-year-old father who was a police officer, his wife, 40, 18-year-old pregnant daughter, and six-year-old son lying in a pool of blood," Funani said.

Sebati and the Mokones are expected back in court on 30 December. 


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