By Anita Dangazele
- Eight-year-old Veronique May was found dead in KwaLanga, Kariega, and police arrested a 27-year-old man known to her family for 15 years.
- Angry residents protested outside court as the suspect appeared on Wednesday, forcing him to abandon his bail bid.
The Kariega community is demanding justice for eight-year-old Veronique May, who was found dead in KwaLanga township on Monday.
Veronique went missing on Sunday afternoon. Her body was found the next day, only a few streets from her home.
Police arrested a 27-year-old suspect who lives in the same area and has known the family for more than 15 years.
Police spokesperson Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the family reported Veronique missing after 5pm on Sunday. “A search was immediately launched,” she said.
Police later found the man Veronique was last seen with. “For his own safety, he was taken to the police station,” said Van Rensburg.
The suspect then led police to a house in De Booi Street, where Veronique’s body was found in one of the rooms.
When the man appeared in the Kariega Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, Veronique’s father and grandfather tried to attack him inside the courtroom.
Outside, angry residents tried to storm the court building to reach the suspect. Police had to intervene as protesters demanded justice.
The chaos forced the suspect to cancel his bail request. He will appear again on 10 November.
Veronique’s grandmother Margaret May said she last saw her granddaughter around 1pm on Sunday.
“We searched for her everywhere but couldn’t find her,” she said. “It hurts even more because the man we trusted is the one accused of killing her.”
The family is struggling financially, and residents have started raising money for Veronique’s funeral.
Pictured above: Kariega residents protest outside court on Wednesday demanding justice for Veronique May.
Image source: Supplied
