Handing down sentence today, Judge
Joseph Raulinga said although Kekana pleaded guilty without wasting
court time, and advanced "personal circumstances" the aggravating
circumstances in the horror murders far outweigh these actions.
"What
you did is catastrophic, although you are deserving life because you
have the right to life still I must meet the wishes of the community,"
said Raulinga.
"The circumstances of the case don’t at all deserve that I should have mercy."
The 37-year-old man was convicted of murder of his four sons in September last year,
and was also found guilty on an additional count of assault relating to
an earlier attack on his wife Lorraine.
Kekana killed his sons Bokang, 13, Keneilwe, 10, Hlologelo, 6, and
Lekgoledi, 4, at their home in Moletlane. Kekana told the court he cut
his children’s throats after a bitter telephonic argument with their
mother who was in Gauteng where she works.
"Mr Kekana had not only
killed his children in a (horrific) manner, he has hurt his wife, the
community of Moletlane, the people of South Africa," said Judge
Raulinga.
The court said that Kekana had had ample time to heal
from his claim that he was angry with his wife after he found a used
condom at her house in Gauteng. Kekana claimed his wife admitted to
cheating.
The allegations of cheating were not tested because
Kekana’s wife, Lorraine, broke down at the beginning of her testimony
during mitigation of sentence. She broke down after she related to
the court how she could hear on the phone her husband killing the
children one by one – she said she could hear their terrifying screams.
"The accused should not kill the
children and come to court to be lenient while he was not lenient when
he was killing the children." said State prosecutor Nozizwe Molepo.
Kekana’s legal representative, Desmond Nonyana, told the court that they intend appealing the sentence.
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