In a tragic case, the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, South Africa, convicted Ronald Ngobeni, 29, for the murder of his 5-year-old son, Khayone Rivoningo Capu, on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
The incident occurred on October 7, 2022, in Tembisa. According to Phindi Mjonondwane, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Ngobeni visited Ivory Park where his son was living with his mother and grandparents. He asked the grandparents if he could take the boy to the mall to buy clothes.
However, Ngobeni had more sinister plans. He took his son, killed him, and buried him in a shallow grave. “Police launched an investigation after the grandparents reported the child missing. Ngobeni fabricated a story about leaving the child with a vendor, but the vendor denied any involvement,” Mjonondwane stated.
The boy’s decomposed body was found on October 16 in a shallow grave under a bridge, with a fatal head injury. Despite the court proceedings, Ngobeni refused to disclose how he killed his son.
During his testimony, Ngobeni claimed he was driven to the crime by anger towards the child’s mother and grandmother. He alleged they insulted him and questioned the child’s paternity, even suggesting that he should kill the child if it would make him happy. Ngobeni stated, “They told me that the boy was not my child and said I should kill him if that’s what would make me happy. I did exactly as I was told.”
The court has postponed the case to July 15 for mitigation and aggravation arguments.
