Son jailed for killing stepmother

Estimated reading time: 5 minute(s)

A 40 years old stepson is set to spend over 30 years in jail for the murder of his stepmother.

The High Court division in the North West sitting in Vryburg heard that Lebogang Archibald Serei had a premeditated murder for Kgomotso Serei after giving orders to several people including Joel Tuma Phatudi who ended up taking on the offer for hit on the deceased Serei.

This is according NPA Spokesperson Henry Mamothame who also said that on the fateful day, 25 May 2017, Serei ordered one of his stepmother’s employee to close and lock certain doors and only the garage door open and at funeral parlor owned by the deceased.

“This he said before this employee noticed three men standing not far from the business premises.”

“The three suspicious men later entered the premises through the garage door wearing balaclavas and their ordered the cashier to kneel on the floor before wrapping her face with a cloth. They then demanded her cellphone before proceeding to the deceased, who was also inside the premises.”

“One of the men was identified as Joel Tumo Phatudi and he was identified as the culprit who turned the gun on to the deceased and shot her in the head. The three then took two cellphones and a handbag belonging to the deceased before fleeing the scene.”

Lebogang’s criminality was exposed by one of the employees who refused to execute the murder.

“A witness who refused the proposition to murder also provided the police with a statement confirming that he was approached by the employee to execute the murder. The same employee also confirmed that Lebogang gave him money to deliver to Phatudi, after the funeral of his stepmother” said Mamothame.

They were sentenced to a further 35 years on two counts of robbery, possession of a firearm, and possession of ammunition. The sentence will not run concurrently and two of their co-accused were acquitted on all charges.