An award-winning investigative journalist, Rachel Sebinyane has made her name as a fearless storyteller, uncovering truths others shy well away from. A freelance Editor at BTV, the 33-year-old is best known as an intrepid crime reporter, famed for her well-researched, hard-hitting pieces. An expert on death row matters and life behind bars, the passionate journo’s Facebook page, ‘Untold Stories with Rachel Sebinyane’ now stands at 340, 000 followers, a number that is growing by the day.
Let’s first get to know who Rachel is?Thank you The Voice for giving me this opportunity! I am a lady born and bred in Thamaga village 33 years ago. I am a mom and married to my amazing husband from Nshakazhogwe (smiles).
And in terms of your professional qualifications?I did Broadcasting in Radio and TV at Limkokwing University as well as Criminal Investigation with Alison, an Irish online platform for higher education that provides certificate courses and accredited diploma courses. So what sparked your fascination with crime reporting?What fascinated me is the need to understand the mind of a criminal! I really want to understand why people commit crimes!
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How come someone can kill four women? You describe yourself as a ‘Death Row Enthusiast’ on FB, what draws you to those dark stories?I generally believe there is a story behind the headline! Men on death row have untold stories and I really believe that these men have the solutions for the pandemic we are grappling with today: GBV.
I believe with them having gone through therapy, death row inmates can bring solutions to the murders we are experiencing every week. Covering such cases must bring you face-to-face with families of victims and the accused. How do you maintain objectivity while showing empathy?I really appreciate this question.
It’s one of the hardest parts of my work. When you sit with a grieving family or hear a death row inmate reflect on the moment everything went wrong, you feel the weight of both sides. I am there to document the truth, not to take sides.
But I also allow myself to be human. Empathy doesn’t compromise objectivity; it guides how I approach people, how I listen and how I handle sensitive details. I remind myself that every person involved is carrying unbearable pain in their own way.
My duty is to honour their stories with fairness, accuracy and compassion. Do you support the death penalty?As a crime reporter, I remain neutral on the death penalty. It is a legal issue linked to justice, human rights and public safety.
My role is to report the facts and help the public understand the issue, not to take sides. How about from a personal perspective?Same answer; remember there is a thin line between our own personal perspective and our role as journalists. Fair enough!
You’re also known for your in-depth research on prisons and prisoners. What moment made you realise this was the work you wanted to do?My turning point came in 2016 when I sat with an ex-offender who openly narrated what led to his incarceration and what life inside prison had done to him. Listening to that raw, unfiltered story awakened something in me; a deep need to understand the justice system from the inside and to document the human realities we often overlook.
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