Two Free State brothers have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms for killing their grandparents.
- Free State brothers, who killed their grandparents and set their house on fire, were given hefty sentences on Friday.
- The grandmother was stabbed with a screwdriver, while the grandfather was smashed in the head with a stone.
- The men also sold their grandparents’ belongings.
Two Free State men were given hefty sentences for killing their grandparents and setting their house on fire in April 2019, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Friday.
The men, aged 31 and 20, were sentenced by the Free State High Court on Friday, regional spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said.
The men pleaded had pleaded guilty.
Thokozane Gazide was sentenced to two life terms for killing his grandparents, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and five years for arson.
His younger brother, Kabelo Sebotso, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for each of the two counts of murder, 12 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and five years for arson.
READ: Free State brothers arrested for allegedly killing grandparents, setting house on fire
Shuping said the evidence revealed that the two men plotted to kill their grandparents after their grandmother was granted a protection order against the younger brother.
“The act of killing the grandparents was carried out a day after the serving of the protection order when Gazide stabbed his grandmother with a screwdriver and hit her with a stick.
“He then punched the grandfather in the face and instructed Sebotso to get a stone, which they used to smash his head.
“The accused then took some of their grandparents’ belongings and sold it”.
The following day, the men went back to their grandparents’ house in Moroka Location, Thaba Nchu, and set the house on fire.
“They used the money they got from selling their grandparents’ items to go to Johannesburg”.
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The neighbours contacted the police after witnessing the fire.
“The police entered the house after the fire had been extinguished and found the grandparents dead.
“The body of 72-year-old Mantoa Sebotso, was found in the kitchen, while the body of her husband, 79-year-old Lethakong Sebotso, was found in the sitting room. Cause of death was given as head injuries”.
The men were arrested in May and June 2019.
