A Reiger Park toddler’s alleged killer gave the boy biscuits before the child followed him away from the safety of his friends‚ a Johannesburg court heard on Monday as the man’s murder trial began.
Nathaniel Katlego “Chicken” Mpoku‚ 25‚ from Ramaphosa Informal Settlement‚ Reiger Park‚ east of Johannesburg‚ is accused of kidnapping and murdering three-year-old Cuburné van Wyk in August last year.
The state’s first witness told the South Gauteng High Court‚ sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in Katlehong‚ southeast of Johannesburg‚ that Mpoku gave Cuburné biscuits at a soccer field in the area before the pair disappeared together.
The witness‚ a 16-year-old boy who by order of the court cannot be named because he is a minor‚ also lives in Ramaphosa Informal Settlement.
He said that on the day Cuburné went missing‚ he and his friends went to the soccer field after school. They sat at a post office which overlooks the field.
Not long after they arrived‚ a group of young children came by and Cuburné was one of them.
He said that Mpoku‚ who everyone knew as “Chicken”‚ then arrived. Mpoku visited the post office regularly where he would sit and sing.
On the day Cuburné disappeared‚ Mpoku had brought Lemon Cream biscuits with him and Cuburné approached him to ask for some‚ the boy said.
According to the boy‚ Cuburné asked Mpoku for biscuits twice. He received biscuits the first time he asked‚ but Mpoku got irritated at his second request and moved to the other side of the post office. Cuburné followed Mpoku.
The boy said that Mpoku eventually left the post office and that Cuburné followed him down the street.
“The last person I saw with the child on that day was Chicken‚” the boy said.
Cuburné disappeared on August 6 in the afternoon. His burnt body was found three days later at a mine dump near Ramaphosa Informal Settlement. He had been strangled to death.
Mpoku has pleaded not guilty.
Mvuyeleli Mangelwa‚ a pump operator at the mine dump where Cuburné ‘s body was found‚ also testified.
He said that on the afternoon Cuburné disappeared he saw a man carrying a child on his shoulders about 100 metres from where he was working.
He said that he saw the man take the child into a nearby veld‚ but that he had not seen the man’s face.
The trial continues.
Murdered boy followed accused for biscuits‚ court hears
A Reiger Park toddler’s alleged killer gave the boy biscuits before the child followed him away from the safety of his friends‚ a Johannesburg court heard on Monday as the man’s murder trial began.
Nathaniel Katlego “Chicken” Mpoku‚ 25‚ from Ramaphosa Informal Settlement‚ Reiger Park‚ east of Johannesburg‚ is accused of kidnapping and murdering three-year-old Cuburné van Wyk in August last year.
The state’s first witness told the South Gauteng High Court‚ sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in Katlehong‚ southeast of Johannesburg‚ that Mpoku gave Cuburné biscuits at a soccer field in the area before the pair disappeared together.
The witness‚ a 16-year-old boy who by order of the court cannot be named because he is a minor‚ also lives in Ramaphosa Informal Settlement.
He said that on the day Cuburné went missing‚ he and his friends went to the soccer field after school. They sat at a post office which overlooks the field.
Not long after they arrived‚ a group of young children came by and Cuburné was one of them.
He said that Mpoku‚ who everyone knew as “Chicken”‚ then arrived. Mpoku visited the post office regularly where he would sit and sing.
On the day Cuburné disappeared‚ Mpoku had brought Lemon Cream biscuits with him and Cuburné approached him to ask for some‚ the boy said.
According to the boy‚ Cuburné asked Mpoku for biscuits twice. He received biscuits the first time he asked‚ but Mpoku got irritated at his second request and moved to the other side of the post office. Cuburné followed Mpoku.
The boy said that Mpoku eventually left the post office and that Cuburné followed him down the street.
“The last person I saw with the child on that day was Chicken‚” the boy said.
Cuburné disappeared on August 6 in the afternoon. His burnt body was found three days later at a mine dump near Ramaphosa Informal Settlement. He had been strangled to death.
Mpoku has pleaded not guilty.
Mvuyeleli Mangelwa‚ a pump operator at the mine dump where Cuburné ‘s body was found‚ also testified.
He said that on the afternoon Cuburné disappeared he saw a man carrying a child on his shoulders about 100 metres from where he was working.
He said that he saw the man take the child into a nearby veld‚ but that he had not seen the man’s face.
The trial continues.
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