Guilty plea shortens Seas'
Child killer Zenobia Seas was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment on Friday morning by High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg.
She had pleaded guilty to a charge of murdering her daughter, Ava Owoses, just shy of three years old, as well as a charge of obstruction of justice, a week ago.
Liebenberg said he would “impose a lengthy custodial sentence even though it will not bring back the life of an innocent child.” He added that he hoped the sentence would act as a deterrent for others.
She was sentenced to 25 years for murder and one year for obstruction of justice, with the two sentences to run concurrently.
Seas was visibly nervous, fidgeting with her hands, and often became teary. She acknowledged each reference Liebenberg made to the murder by nodding. In his judgement, Liebenberg said that it took roughly an hour for Ava to die.
She killed her daughter on 26 September 2016 by suffocating her with a blanket in her car near Henties Bay.
The judge said there was no explanation as to why Seas had purchased clothes and toys, along with food, before she fetched Ava from school around 12:00 that day. However, he said the presence of wood and charcoal indicated that she had planned to set the car alight.
He also made mention of the fact that Ava's father, Immanuel Joslin Owoseb, was in a new relationship and that his girlfriend would give birth on the same date as Ava's birthday.
“In the absence of any satisfactory explanation by Seas, I can only come to one conclusion and that is that Seas planned the murder,” Liebenberg said.
Earlier in the week, Seas gave a tearful confession in the High Court, alluding to apparent abuse from Ava's father. Seas told the court that after murdering her child, she sat in the car and wrote in her diary. Afterwards she set the vehicle alight. The diary was meant to be left behind as a suicide note.
However, the fire was extinguished by neighbourhood watch members and Seas was later arrested at the scene.
Seas said she and the child's father had been in a relationship since January 2013. He allegedly promised to marry her after she gave birth, but did not keep his promise.
She further alleged that Owoseb was abusive, consumed alcohol excessively and dated other women. She said he had told her that she was worthless and that he only used her for sex and money.
Seas said on two occasions Owoseb had assaulted her front of their daughter, who was then one year old.
She had pleaded guilty to a charge of murdering her daughter, Ava Owoses, just shy of three years old, as well as a charge of obstruction of justice, a week ago.
Liebenberg said he would “impose a lengthy custodial sentence even though it will not bring back the life of an innocent child.” He added that he hoped the sentence would act as a deterrent for others.
She was sentenced to 25 years for murder and one year for obstruction of justice, with the two sentences to run concurrently.
Seas was visibly nervous, fidgeting with her hands, and often became teary. She acknowledged each reference Liebenberg made to the murder by nodding. In his judgement, Liebenberg said that it took roughly an hour for Ava to die.
She killed her daughter on 26 September 2016 by suffocating her with a blanket in her car near Henties Bay.
The judge said there was no explanation as to why Seas had purchased clothes and toys, along with food, before she fetched Ava from school around 12:00 that day. However, he said the presence of wood and charcoal indicated that she had planned to set the car alight.
He also made mention of the fact that Ava's father, Immanuel Joslin Owoseb, was in a new relationship and that his girlfriend would give birth on the same date as Ava's birthday.
“In the absence of any satisfactory explanation by Seas, I can only come to one conclusion and that is that Seas planned the murder,” Liebenberg said.
Earlier in the week, Seas gave a tearful confession in the High Court, alluding to apparent abuse from Ava's father. Seas told the court that after murdering her child, she sat in the car and wrote in her diary. Afterwards she set the vehicle alight. The diary was meant to be left behind as a suicide note.
However, the fire was extinguished by neighbourhood watch members and Seas was later arrested at the scene.
Seas said she and the child's father had been in a relationship since January 2013. He allegedly promised to marry her after she gave birth, but did not keep his promise.
She further alleged that Owoseb was abusive, consumed alcohol excessively and dated other women. She said he had told her that she was worthless and that he only used her for sex and money.
Seas said on two occasions Owoseb had assaulted her front of their daughter, who was then one year old.
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