Dad who slit sons’ throats pleads for mercy

TCR NEWS
28 Apr 2016



Dad who slit sons’ throats pleads for mercy


Polokwane – Lesiba Kekana, the Limpopo father who earlier this week was found guilty of the murder of his four young sons by slitting their throats, on Thursday asked the court to be merciful when handing down sentence.


The 37-year-old Kekana told the court during arguments in mitigation of sentence that he would like to return to the community and continue his marriage with his wife.


Read: Dad guilty of fatally slitting throats of four sons


“I would plead that when the court sentence, it must be merciful so that I could continue with my wife, and pick up were I left and take care of her,” said Kekana.


Before the sentencing proceedings started, Kekana could not bear to face his wife, Lorraine, as the two crossed paths in the front of the courtroom.


On Tuesday Kekana had pleaded guilty to four counts of murder and one of assault before Judge Joseph Raulinga.


He was arrested in September last year after he slit his four sons’ throats with a knife, minutes after he had had a cellphone argument with his wife.


Kekana killed the couple’s four sons, Bokang, 13, Keneilwe, 10, Hlologelo, 6, and Lekgoledi, 4, by slitting their throats one after the other at their home in Zebediela.


He told court that he acknowledged that his apology would not bring back his children.


His plea agreement aside, this was the first time Kekana had taken to the stand to speak about the events which led up to the killings.


He started by explaining that he had gotten angry when his wife told him that he was useless during a telephone conversation.


“I was disappointed and that did not sit well with me, and I found that I am useless and I took a decision to commit suicide so that I could rest,” he told the court. “But I started to think that my children will suffer, so I took the knife and cut their throats.”


Kekana said his attempt to kill himself had failed and he asked the court for forgiveness.


“I took the same knife I used to kill my children and tried to cut my throat but I realised that I was not losing air, and resorted to hang myself but before I could finish the mob break the door of my house.”


State prosecutor Nozizwe Molepo, however, dismissed his justification, saying he had killed innocent children.


“You don’t seem to be remorseful, you seem to be seeking public sympathy,” Molepo said.


The public gallery was packed with African National Congress Women’s League members, as well as a large crowd interested members of the public.


The sentencing continues on Friday.


ANA


 

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