21-Year-Od Girl Convicted For Organising Hit On Her Family

This comes after the state was able to present evidence that Sebati conspired with two male friends to assassinate her family members when they were at their house in Mmakau, Northwest Province.

On December 6, 2016, the two went to Sebati’s house to get her father’s firearm. They came home in the evening of the same day. Sebati went outside, pretended to dispose of water, but instead opened the gate for the two and handed Kagiso her father’s car keys, which were parked outside.

Tumelo then entered the house, shooting and killing Sebatis’ 42-year-old father, 40-year-old mother, 19-year-old pregnant sister, and 6-year-old brother.
The two then drove off in Sebati’s father’s car.

However, they abandoned the vehicle when it became bogged in the mud a few metres from the house. On December 17, 2021, Sepati surrendered to authorities and confessed, resulting in 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 Sepati 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 judgement, the judge agreed with the state that it had overwhelming evidence against the three, and the state was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, the three were found guilty of all the charges preferred against them.
The matter was postponed to April 16–19, 2024, for sentencing proceedings.