Child killer bares her soul
Zenobia Seas' father has pleaded with the High Court to have mercy on his daughter, saying emotional abuse had led to her killing his granddaughter.
While breaking down repeatedly, as tears streamed down her face in the Windhoek High Court, Zenobia Seas explained how her daughter's father had abused and used her for money and sex, after promising to marry her.
This formed part of her plea explanation in which she shed light on why she had chosen to murder her three-year-old daughter Ava Antoinette Owoses by suffocating her near Henties Bay.
She admitted to murder and defeating the course of justice yesterday. Judge Christie Liebenberg accepted her plea and found her guilty as charged.
Seas, 33, told the court that after murdering her child, she sat in her car and made entries into her diary.
Afterwards she set the vehicle alight.
The notes were meant to be left behind in the wake of her suicide.
However, the fire was extinguished by neighbourhood watch members and she was later arrested at the scene.
She admitted to suffocating Ava with her blanket.
Seas said she and the child's father, Immanuel Joslin Owoseb, had been in a relationship since January 2013.
He allegedly promised to marry her after she gave birth, but had not kept his promise.
Seas further alleged Owoseb was very 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 said her parents had not approved of the relationship and her father was particularly upset and disappointed in her for continuing to love someone who abused her.
Her father, Dirk Seas, who was testifying in mitigation yesterday, says emotional abuse led to his daughter's decision to kill her own child.
“No normal mother will do such a thing to her child. I want to ask the court to have mercy on my daughter. As a family we have lost our granddaughter and the accused still has another daughter to raise, and we as the grandparents are now in an advanced age,” Dirk pleaded.
He said his grandchild was a baby when she was first brought to them, adding her death was a great loss for the family.
“It was painful. But we do not have any grudges against Zenobia. We are not here to judge and only feel very sorry for her,” he said, as tears welled up in his eyes.
He said it was a good thing his daughter had pleaded guilty to the charges.
“Anything that happened was for a reason. The family has forgiven her.”
Dirk recounted that at the time of the murder, his daughter had called and told him her vehicle had developed a mechanical problem on a gravel road.
“She said she does not know where she is, but that she is just in the car… What disturbed me was why she bought clothing, toys and food for the child.”
According to him, he searched for his daughter and granddaughter in the afternoon, the whole evening and the next day.
He found the vehicle on the gravel road between Swakopmund to Henties Bay.
He said he found the food, toys and clothing the in the car.
When he arrived, the police were carrying the lifeless body of his granddaughter, while Zenobia was sitting in the car covered with a blanket,
“As the grandfather of the deceased and father of the accused I plead with court to have mercy on her. What she has done is punishable, but as a father I want to ask the court to exercise mercy on her.”
Seas had made many entries into her diary on the day of the murder.
“Dumba! You get what you want, I am out of your life but you will not get Ava, never! Ava and I are no more an issue, never again (sic),” she wrote to the father of the child.
“It is my early birthday gift to you. F…n' c..nt who wants to take away the life of my child over Ellen who is sleeping around and who bewitched you. Your money was never an issue (sic).”
She also left a note her boyfriend's new girlfriend: “Ellen your mother's c..nt and stinking c..nt, who destroyed the life of my child by selling your horny c..nt to Dumba. I do not consider you but blame you for my suffering (sic).”
To her parents she wrote: “Dirk and Bokkie; I had been always the middle child who always came late to you. I had to give up my dreams because of you… when Dirk speaks nobody should speak. I also blame you for everything that went wrong in my life.”
Liebenberg postponed the matter until Friday for sentencing.
FRED GOEIEMAN
This formed part of her plea explanation in which she shed light on why she had chosen to murder her three-year-old daughter Ava Antoinette Owoses by suffocating her near Henties Bay.
She admitted to murder and defeating the course of justice yesterday. Judge Christie Liebenberg accepted her plea and found her guilty as charged.
Seas, 33, told the court that after murdering her child, she sat in her car and made entries into her diary.
Afterwards she set the vehicle alight.
The notes were meant to be left behind in the wake of her suicide.
However, the fire was extinguished by neighbourhood watch members and she was later arrested at the scene.
She admitted to suffocating Ava with her blanket.
Seas said she and the child's father, Immanuel Joslin Owoseb, had been in a relationship since January 2013.
He allegedly promised to marry her after she gave birth, but had not kept his promise.
Seas further alleged Owoseb was very 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 said her parents had not approved of the relationship and her father was particularly upset and disappointed in her for continuing to love someone who abused her.
Her father, Dirk Seas, who was testifying in mitigation yesterday, says emotional abuse led to his daughter's decision to kill her own child.
“No normal mother will do such a thing to her child. I want to ask the court to have mercy on my daughter. As a family we have lost our granddaughter and the accused still has another daughter to raise, and we as the grandparents are now in an advanced age,” Dirk pleaded.
He said his grandchild was a baby when she was first brought to them, adding her death was a great loss for the family.
“It was painful. But we do not have any grudges against Zenobia. We are not here to judge and only feel very sorry for her,” he said, as tears welled up in his eyes.
He said it was a good thing his daughter had pleaded guilty to the charges.
“Anything that happened was for a reason. The family has forgiven her.”
Dirk recounted that at the time of the murder, his daughter had called and told him her vehicle had developed a mechanical problem on a gravel road.
“She said she does not know where she is, but that she is just in the car… What disturbed me was why she bought clothing, toys and food for the child.”
According to him, he searched for his daughter and granddaughter in the afternoon, the whole evening and the next day.
He found the vehicle on the gravel road between Swakopmund to Henties Bay.
He said he found the food, toys and clothing the in the car.
When he arrived, the police were carrying the lifeless body of his granddaughter, while Zenobia was sitting in the car covered with a blanket,
“As the grandfather of the deceased and father of the accused I plead with court to have mercy on her. What she has done is punishable, but as a father I want to ask the court to exercise mercy on her.”
Seas had made many entries into her diary on the day of the murder.
“Dumba! You get what you want, I am out of your life but you will not get Ava, never! Ava and I are no more an issue, never again (sic),” she wrote to the father of the child.
“It is my early birthday gift to you. F…n' c..nt who wants to take away the life of my child over Ellen who is sleeping around and who bewitched you. Your money was never an issue (sic).”
She also left a note her boyfriend's new girlfriend: “Ellen your mother's c..nt and stinking c..nt, who destroyed the life of my child by selling your horny c..nt to Dumba. I do not consider you but blame you for my suffering (sic).”
To her parents she wrote: “Dirk and Bokkie; I had been always the middle child who always came late to you. I had to give up my dreams because of you… when Dirk speaks nobody should speak. I also blame you for everything that went wrong in my life.”
Liebenberg postponed the matter until Friday for sentencing.
FRED GOEIEMAN
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