Supporters and family of murdered Kleinvlei toddler Orderick Lucas breathed a sigh of relief on Monday at the Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court when the matter was expedited to the Western Cape High Court for trial.
The accused, family friend Melvyn “Mel” Volkwyn, 41, appeared via Audio Visual Remand (AVR) where prosecutor Nathan Adriaanse announced that the matter has been expedited for pre-trial on 28 February 2020.
The murder trial is set to start in April 2020.
During his bail application, the court heard that Volkwyn was a trusted friend of Orderick’s mother, Davideen Lucas, 28, who has helped raise the boy since he was born.
MANG: Melvyn Volkwyn, 41, on trial for murder.
The hairstylist was denied bail in June.
Orderick disappeared on Sunday, 24 March, but was only reported missing four days later when his mom and ouma realised neither one had him.
Davideen, a self-confessed recovering drug addict, said she was beaten up on that day for allegedly stealing a cellphone.
She planned to go to the hospital the next day for treatment and asked 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 told Orderick’s father the boy was safe with his ouma, Cornelia Scheepers.
They only realised he was missing when Davideen visited her mother the Thursday 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.