Murdered kids found with nails behind their ears

Three of the four children aged between five and nine who were killed allegedly by their father were found with nails behind their ears.

The head of the fourth child, 3, had caved in after she was bludgeoned to death allegedly with a blunt object. 

The shocking revelations emerged yesterday in the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane where their mother, Sylvia Monyela, was cross-examined.

Her estranged husband Lucas Phasha, 52, is on trial for the brutal murders of their children – Katlego, 9, Joyce, 7, Tshepo, 5, and Adel 3 – who were found dead at two separate locations in Selatole section of GaPhasha village near Burgersfort on February 18 last year.

Monyela broke down as she relived the day she found the bodies of her four kids. "I found my youngest child's head caved in after he bludgeoned her to death. I found three of my children with nails pushed behind their ears, and you are here telling me that he is not the one who killed my children. Stop defending him," said a tearful Monyela.

Judge Gerrit Muller adjourned the court for few minutes to allow Monyela time to compose herself. 

Monyela emphasised to the court that she was convinced Phasha killed her four kids.

Defence lawyer Lawrence Mkhize said Phasha did not kill the children because he was in Lebowakgomo when they were murdered. "Mr Phasha was at his girlfriend's place in Lebowakgomo and denies killing the children," he said.

Investigating officer Detec-Col Philip Mohlala told the court that he obtained a video footage showing Phasha leaving with the children in the early hours of the morning. 

Monyela said she knows very well that Phasha killed her children, adding that coming to court to face him makes her sick. "I don't want to come here and face this man anymore because he makes me sick. I'm tired of seeing this man, he told police and his relatives that he killed my children," she said.

"He is cruel and a monster. I don't have a single child because of him," said Monyela.

Dressed neatly in a long-sleeved white shirt, Phasha appeared unmoved when his wife painted a dark side of him.

The case was postponed to Thursday for a trial within trial after the defense objected to the video footage being admitted as evidence.