WHATEVER possessed a man to pour petrol over a six-year old boy and set him alight?
That’s the question that haunts parents Philani Cwele and Thembisile Jengu who cried over photographs of their six-year-old son Olwami outside the Port Shepstone mortuary on Monday this week.
The grade one pupil at Emthimi Primary was on his way home in Izingolweni about 1.30pm last Thursday when a family friend confronted him.
It is believed he tried to run away, but the man caught him, poured petrol over his head and set him alight.
He was rushed to Thembalesizwe Clinic in the area by a teacher, but was declared dead on arrival.
Khulekani Gambushe (28) was arrested shortly afterwards, according to police spokesman, Captain Gerald Mfeka, and appeared in court on Monday. He was remanded in custody until June 30.
Olwami’s parents tried to speak to the Herald, but were too emotional to say much.
“We were so fond of Gambushe. I can’t believe that he could have done this to our son. He used to come to our house because he is a close friend of my eldest son, We don’t understand why he did this,” said Mrs Jengu.
The family could not confirm if, as initially reported, Gambushe was mentally ill.
Upsetting the family even further, someone posted a gruesome photograph of their son’s body on Facebook shortly after the incident.
Izingolweni police are investigating.
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