Killer father gets 65-year sentence

A Putfontein man who shot dead his wife and sleeping son, bashed his baby girl against a wall and tried to shoot his other son, will spend 30 years in prison.

Judge Eben Jordaan of the High Court in Pretoria yesterday sentenced Alfred Setlale, 37, to 65 years imprisonment, of which he has to serve 30 years, for the August 2016 murders of his wife Delane Ntimane and seven-year old son Tshepo and the attempted murder of his 12-year-old son and 18-month-old baby daughter.

He admitted that he had shot his wife in the face and chest during an argument and then went to his seven-year-old son’s room and shot him in the head and chest while he was asleep.

His eldest son tried to run away, but Setlale called him. When his son turned around and looked at him, he fired a shot at him, but missed.

He also admitted throwing his baby daughter against a wall, causing the baby to sustain a severe head injury for which she had to spend more than three weeks in hospital.

After the incident, Setlale tried to commit suicide, but the shot did not go off. His wife had gone looking for him earlier that evening and a heated argument ensued when both of them returned home.

Setlale is a first offender who worked for the same company for 14 years.

It was noted in mitigation that he was intoxicated, was provoked by his wife’s conduct, had acted in a fit of rage and that his conduct was totally out of character.

Setlale, who expressed remorse for what he did, said in a statement he only had a very vague recollection of the offence as it was very traumatic for him when he realised the consequences of his actions.

He was referred for mental observation, but found fit to stand trial.

The aggravating factors included that femicide was regarded as a very serious offence and that his son was an innocent defenceless child who was killed in his sleep.

His other son needed psychological therapy, after being shot at and witnessing his mother and brother being killed.

His wife’s family, who now raise his children, were devastated by Ntimane’s death. They were not in court.

– ilsedl@citizen.co.za

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