Trusted neighbour charged in boy’s murder

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By Buziwe Nocuze

A Cape Town courtroom was silenced by shock as the friends and family of an eight-year-old murder victim discovered that the prime suspect was none other than their trusted neighbour.

Aphiwe Vakele, who is accused of kidnapping and killing Lukhololwam Mkontwana from Nyanga township in Cape Town, appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

The little boy was kidnapped in September 2022 while he was playing outside his home with other children.

Vakele had helped the family search for the child and even accompanied them to the police station.

The kidnappers demanded a ransom of R100,000, which the family simply couldn’t pay, as his mother was working as a junior chef at the time.

Lukhololwam’s mother couldn’t hold back tears after seeing the suspect.

Weziwe Mkhitha, a family member, said they took the suspect as family since he was their neighbour.

“We are close with his family, and we are still in disbelief that he’s the person behind this evil deed, but we are grateful to the detectives who made the breakthrough because we had lost hope in this case. We thought they had stopped looking for the killer,” said Weziwe.

She said the death was brutal.

“Our wish is for him to tell us his accomplices and the reason for coming up with a plan to ask for so much money. He doesn’t deserve to stay amongst people because he is evil.”

The suspect’s mother, Nomboniso Vakele, was also in court.

“I am so disappointed. I took the victim’s family as mine since we have been staying in the same place for too long,” she said. “We are not just neighbours, but they are the first people I run to when I encounter problems. How am I going to look at them now? 

“I want the community to know that I never raised him to become a cruel person, and I am shocked to see him being accused of taking the innocent child’s life,” said Nomboniso.

The case was postponed to Friday, 19 January 2024.

Pictured above: Aphiwe Vakele appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court facing charges of kidnapping and murder. 

Image source: Buziwe Nocuze

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