I have researched many horrific cases, and while I do try to remember all of them, unfortunately, I cannot. But some cases refuse to be forgotten, and this is one of them.
A couple of years ago, I listened to episode 20 from the podcast True Crime South Africa, The Venter Family Massacre, and now and then, I find myself thinking about Millie Venter.
Flippie Venter, a former sergeant in the South African Air Force, was found guilty of murdering Therese Nkeshimana, a child prostitute, while serving in Burundi.
While out on bail and awaiting trial, Venter and his wife Millie got into an argument on the night of April 26, 2006.
It was alleged that she threatened to leave him if he was found guilty of his crimes.
This was unacceptable to Venter, and he took his rifle and four-year-old son Janco.
Millie rushed to help her son, but Venter shot her in the stomach. Their five-year-old daughter, Millize, tried to run away, but her father shot her in the back.
Somehow, Millie survived this brutal attack, and she had to carry on without her children.
Venter was found guilty of the attempted murder of Millie, the murder of Janco, and the murder of Millize.
He was initially sentenced to 10 years in total. What? Ten years for murdering his entire family?
The judge stated that exceptional circumstances justified a lesser sentence, like his childhood and the stress caused by the events in Burundi.
The State appealed the sentence, and it was increased to 18 years.
While Venter was in prison, he was sentenced to another 18 years for his crimes in Burundi, but both these sentences were to run concurrently, and Venter is already out on parole.
I cannot try to imagine what Millie must have felt knowing that this person she loved murdered their children, and now he walks among us like nothing ever happened.
Parole is a necessary process, and the purpose of incarceration is to rehabilitate offenders and release them back into society.
I get that, but in some cases, it just doesn’t seem fair.
Therese Nkeshimana, Janco Venter, and Millize Venter didn’t get a second chance.
They now only live in the memories of their loved ones.
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