An 18-year-old boy has been sentenced to a 15-year effective prison sentence for the murder of his mother, stepfather, and five-year-old brother.
The sentencing was handed down by the Free State High Court sitting in Harrismith on Monday, 11 August.
The tragic events unfolded on 11 January 2024, when police were alerted to a 16-year-old boy driving his stepfather’s vehicle and in possession of a firearm. Officers located the boy and escorted him to his family’s home in Mankweng, Makwane.
Upon arrival, police made a gruesome discovery – a garden spade with what appeared to be bloodstained was found in the kitchen. In the main bedroom, they found the bodies of the boy’s 42-year-old mother and 64-year-old stepfather, both with fatal gunshot wounds to the head. A search of another room revealed the body of the boy’s five-year-old brother, who had been hacked with an axe and stabbed with a garden fork.
A thorough search of the home led to the discovery of the potential murder weapons: a bloodstained axe and a garden fork, both found on top of a wardrobe.
The investigation was led by WO Thabang Mbele of the Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit in Phuthaditjhaba. Working in collaboration with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the suspect was charged and subsequently sentenced for assault (two years’ imprisonment), three counts of murder (15 years’ imprisonment for each count), unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm (five years’ imprisonment), unlawful possession of ammunition (three years’ imprisonment), and theft (five years’ imprisonment).
The court ordered that the sentences for assault, theft, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition will run concurrently with the 15-year sentence for murder.
This successful prosecution demonstrates the police’s commitment to bringing those responsible for violent crimes to justice and ensuring the safety of our communities, says Sgt Mahlomola Kareli, spokesperson for the Free State police.
