The family friend accused of the murder and kidnapping of one-year-old Orderick Lucas is making a bid for freedom.
Melvin Volkwyn, 40, was supported by the Eerste River community in the Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court where his bail hearing kicked off Thursday.
Proceedings only started after 3pm following a flurry of consultations between the state and defence.
Volkwyn looked calm and composed, dressed in a blue jeans, white shirt and blue pullover.
Prosecutor Nathan Adriaanse indicated that new evidence had been added to the docket, believed to be Orderick’s outstanding post-mortem report.
VICTIM: Little Orderick Lucas, 1
The bail application started with the defence reading into record Volkwyn’s affidavit.
Volkwyn’s murder charge has been listed as a schedule five offence.
The prosecutor said there was no evidence to indicate that he had premeditated or planned the murder, and there was no rape charge or robbery charge.
In his affidavit, Volkwyn said that he has to take care of his pensioner father.
CASE: Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court
The affidavit was supported by more than 500 signatures for him to be released on bail.
The state indicated it would be opposing bail and asked for a postponement to go over the new evidence brought in by the investigating officer.
The bail application continues this morning.
Little Orderick disappeared on Sunday, 24 March, but was only reported missing four days later.
His mother Davideen Lucas, 28, who is a self- confessed drug addict, said she was beaten up on that day for allegedly stealing a cellphone.
FUNERAL: Orderick Lucas was laid to rest after autopsy
She planned to go to the hospital the next day for treatment and asked her friend, Volkwyn, to look after her child.
But when she came to collect the boy the next day, Volkwyn told her he had already given the child back to her.
Volkwyn allegedly also told Orderick’s father that the boy was safe with his ouma, Cornelia Scheepers.
Davideen said she wasn’t worried as she thought her son was safe.
However when she visited her mother the Thursday, she discovered her child was missing and immediately went to the police.
Four days later, Orderick’s naked body was found in a drain metres from Cornelia’s home in Witterbol Street by a group of children who were trying to retrieve a ball.
Davideen was also at court Thursday, looking lost and forlorn.
Cornelia previously said the young mother was trying to kick her drug habit following her son’s death.