Hairstylist accused of murdering toddler found guilty

THE Cape Town man accused of murdering 1-year-old Orderick Lucas was found guilty in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday.

Melvin Volkwyn, 42, a hairstylist from Kleinvlei, stood in the dock in shock before breaking down and shaking his head as Judge Nolundi Ndita handed down judgment.

Volkwyn was convicted of murdering young Orderick, who went missing on March 24, 2019, but was only reported missing on March 28.

Following extensive community searches, Orderick’s decomposing body was found eight days after his disappearance in a stormwater drain in Wittebol Street, Eerste River, just metres from his grandparents’ home.

The body was uncovered by children playing with a ball in the street. The ball went into the drain and when they went to retrieve it, they made the gruesome discovery.

Before his disappearance, Orderick and his twin sibling had been placed in the care of their maternal grandmother by the court following a social worker’s investigation into their safety. Orderick had four other siblings.

The grandmother went against a court order and told Orderick’s parents to fetch him and his siblings as she wanted to party that weekend as she celebrated her 50th birthday.

Volkwyn maintained his innocence and said he handed Orderick over to his mother, Davidene Lucas, 30, the morning after she had been assaulted and sought medical attention.

He, however, admitted to being irresponsible by taking the child to a drug house to buy a mandrax tablet rather than taking him to his father the day before the toddler’s disappearance.

Handing down judgment, the judge said there was no evidence which corroborated Volkwyn’s version that he handed Orderick back to his mother.

Sentencing proceedings are set to begin on September 14. | African News Agency (ANA)