The man accused of stabbing his three-year-old son to death allegedly believed that sacrificing the child would “cleanse him of the evil that had befallen him”.
The body of Thabang Ngobeni was found late on Thursday afternoon in a veld near the informal settlement on Bremer Street that was reduced to ashes a week earlier.
His body had severe bruises and multiple stab wounds, according to paramedics who found him.
His father (25) was taken into custody after the discovery.
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The Ngobeni family were also victims of the fire and just like many others in the settlement, lost almost everything.
Sam Ngobeni, the murder suspect’s father, could hardly utter a few sentences when he spoke of his grandson’s murder.
Ngobeni told Rekord how events unfolded prior to the body being found, saying that he was called at around 15:30 by family members who said that his son, the suspect, had taken Thabang into the veld to “offer the child to God”.
“They said he was going to kill him [Thabang].”
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According to the family they then ran for help.
It is alleged that the suspect then returned a while later to where the family resides and just sat down on a chair, emotionless, his hands and clothes still covered in blood.
“He didn’t try to run away. He just sat there and told us not to worry about Thabang anymore,” a family member told Rekord.
Meanwhile, a large search team descended on the veld area, where Thabang’s lifeless body was found between bushes less than half an hour later.
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Hercules police promptly arrested the suspect, who handed himself over willingly, according to witnesses.
According to family and co-workers, the suspect had been behaving oddly for the past few weeks because he believed he had been cursed by his ex-wife.
Ngobeni said his son stopped going to work and even went for psychological observation after the fire.
Ward councillor Elma Nel said she wished to extend her deepest condolences to the family.
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“As a mother of three precious children, l cannot imagine what could motivate any human being to harm another, never mind their own flesh and blood,” stated Nel.
“I’m devastated with what transpired here and pray for the family. May this innocent little soul rest in peace, free from worldly sadness.”
Police spokesperson Constable Mandla Zwane confirmed the arrest and stated that the suspect was currently being detained in Pretoria central prison on charges of murder.
The suspect is due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court soon.
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