Life imprisonment for killing wife, four children

A hefty judgement was handed down to a man found guilty of killing his wife and four children when Judge George Phatudi in the Limpopo High Court last Thursday sentenced George Makhubele to life imprisonment. Phatudi described Makhubele’s acts as notorious with hair raising circumstances.
Makhubele killed his wife, Rhina Mantsho (34) and four daughters aged between two months and five years by slitting their throats and crushing their sculls with a hammer at Chloe Village near Mokopane in 2013.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mantsho and received a second life sentence for killing Johanna (5), Kgotso (4), Nyiko (2) and two-month-old Kgaugelo. The sentences will run concurrently.
According to Phatudi, Makhubele did not feel any remorse since he continued to protest his innocence. “The evidence shows that there were aggravated circumstances which cannot be overlooked. He murdered his wife and children in their sleep. He attacked them, slit their throats and crushed their skulls with a stone crushing hammer,” Phatudi said.
The Judge referred to the case of Simon Kekana who was sentenced to 52 years imprisonment in April for the killing of his four children. Kekana was found guilty by Judge Joseph Raulinga after he pleaded guilty. His legal representative read a statement during the court proceedings detailing his confession and admission of guilt for the murder of his sons Bokang (13), Keneilwe (10), Hlologelo (6) and Lekgoledi (4) after a telephonic argument with his wife Lorraine.
Makhubele tried to commit suicide after the killing by drinking a poisonous substance. “You tried to kill yourself in an effort to wipe out the whole family and escape prosecution. But the god of miracles spared you your life. This is a court of mercy based on responsibility and you are not a cat with nine lives. You are in an advanced stage of your life and will be sentenced to life on the first count for killing Mantsho and life for each child which will run concurrently with the sentencing of the killing of your wife.”

Story: RC Myburgh
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