Prosecutor advocate Gerhard Maritz pleaded with the high court sitting in the Palm Ridge magistrate's court to hand down three life sentences to murderer Pontsho Mohlanka.  

Maritz made this request during closing sentencing arguments on Friday, a day after Mohlanka was found guilty of killing Mzwandile Zitho,5,  Simphiwe Mgcina, 6, and Mpho Makondo, 8.

“The senseless killing of children in our country is a serious concern. This court must send a strong message to perpetrators of such crimes. They must know that whoever inflicts any type of pain on children, the court will deal with them harshly,” said Maritz.

The children were killed two years ago in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.

During cross examination Mohlanka, 31, told court that the children were killed by a creature sourced by her boyfriend to grow their tavern profits.

Postmortem results cited suffocation as the cause of death on all three children.

“Killing for muthi is unacceptable. The families of the three children are still finding it difficult to deal with their loss. The entire community of Orange Farm is still traumatised by these killings. The defense in this matter did not present any compelling circumstances that might convince this court to deviate from handing down life sentence on all three counts,” further argued Maritz.

But Mohlanka’s lawyer Makgalanoto Kgagara called on the court to be lenient when handing down sentence.

Kgagara said the court must consider that Mohlanka is a single parent.

Her teenage daughter is currently being cared for by Mohlanka’s family back in Lesotho.

“My client is a primary caregiver. Her child still needs the love and care of a mother. The court is aware that my client has spent almost two years in the cells awaiting trial. I humbly request the court to consider these circumstances and deviate from maximum punishment,” he argued.

Kgagara’s argument was not well received by Orange Farm residents who packed the court gallery.

Many in the gallery shook their heads in disagreements as the defence continued to make its argument.

At some point sighs and whispers could be heard from the gallery. This prompted the court officer to repeatedly request members of public to remain silent.    

“Mohlanka wants to tell us about her child in Lesotho, but she has not said anything about the pain she has caused us. She will be in prison and her child will still visit her in prison but what about us who will never see our children again? She has destroyed many families in Orange Farm. She deserves to spend her entire life in prison,” said Mpho Makondo’s grandmother, Morginah Malatje.

Sentencing has been reserved until September 13.

nzimandeb@sowetan.co.za