Dad in trouble after boy’s tragic death

Vuyo Mkize

JOHANNESBURG: It sounded like just another gruesome crime incident: a 12-year-old boy shot dead by two robbers.

This turned out to be a lie, allegedly made up by a father who was trying to protect himself and his 12-year-old son.

According to police, it was a tragic case of two boys playing with a gun they had found in a car. Two shots went off by mistake, killing the son of the man’s girlfriend.

The Daveyton father is facing charges of defeating the ends of justice after lying to police about the circumstances surrounding his son shooting dead the boy.

Yesterday, Benoni cluster police spokesperson Zunickha Essakjee confirmed the charges against the man, which also include failing to secure his firearm.

Regarding the initial version of events given to police by the man, Essakjee said: “The father didn’t want to get the boy (his son) in trouble, because it was he who shot his girlfriend’s son, and he also shouldn’t have had his firearm in his car.

The son was charged with culpable homicide and negligent handling of a firearm. However, because he is a minor he is not in custody.

The man was arrested and it is unclear if he has already appeared in court.

Essakjee said the man’s son needed counselling. “It is a very sad story.”