A dad killed his children by plunging nails into their heads because he thought his wife was cheating on him, foreign media reports.
Sylvia Monyela, from the South African province of Limpopo, reported her four kids missing on Sunday.
The previous day, the kids’ dad arrived at a house where their mum was staying with her grandmother.
Armed with a knife, the 52-year-old took the children and left.
Katlego, nine, Joyce, seven, Tshepo, five, and Adel, three, were found dead at two separate locations five days later.
The dad’s relative Nkwane Phasha said: "The bodies of the three children [Katlego, Joyce and Tshepo] had five-inch nails in their heads and necks, while the youngest one was bludgeoned to death with a huge stone.”
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He sent: "He (the dad) sent me a text message to inform me about the deaths of the children and the location of their bodies.
“When I followed up on his information, I was shocked to find three children placed at one spot in a trench not far from their house.”
The dad was reportedly arrested on Tuesday night in connection with the murders.
Phasha said the suspect told him that he killed the children to keep them safe from their "cheating and irresponsible" mother.
He explained: "He accused his wife of cheating and that she would go for days and he would not know her whereabouts, leaving the children under his care.
"He insisted that his wife had pushed him to kill the children and he was ready to pay for his crimes."
A few hours before the murder, he posted a status on social media accusing his wife of 10 years of cheating, Sowetan Live reports.
Sylvia’s cousin Nelly Motebejane said: "She wanted to obtain a protection order against her husband but police told her to go to Praktiseer magistrate's court – 50km away.
"She came back home and was heartbroken. If police had helped her, the children would still be alive.”
- Crime
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