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Boy drowned in boiling water

Mom was raped and shot. Husband was assaulted with a panga and golf club, before he too was shot

Three men, who admitted to robbing and killing a Walkerville couple and their 12-year-old son, joked and laughed while walking back to their cells, according to a report on Wednesday.

The regional court in Vereeniging heard that the boy, Amaro Jose, was gagged and then drowned in a boiling water because he would have been able to identify his family’s assailants.

Patrick Petrus Radebe, 24, who was the family’s gardener, and Sipho Mbele, 21, their domestic worker’s son, and Sphiwe David Motaung, 20, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, reported Beeld newspaper.

Mbele and Radebe each pleaded guilty to three charges of murder and one charge of rape each.

Motaung pleaded guilty to house robbery charges.

The court heard that Mbele and Radebe raped Geraldine Viana before shooting her with her husband’s firearm.

The men then shot Tony Viana, who had been tied up after being assaulted with a panga and golf club, in the head.

After that, the boy was drowned in the bath.

Sentencing will start on September 6.