Relatives charged with Shahiel’s murder

Durban09022015The funeral service of Shahiel Sewpujun held at Clayfield Primary School.Picture:Marilyn Bernard

Durban09022015The funeral service of Shahiel Sewpujun held at Clayfield Primary School.Picture:Marilyn Bernard

Published Feb 10, 2015

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Durban - Two women, relatives of slain 9-year-old Shahiel Sewpujun, whose body was pulled from a manhole in Phoenix on Sunday, have been charged with his murder.

Police said on Tuesday that two men - Shahiel’s stepfather and his brother - who had been taken in for questioning, had been released because of insufficient evidence.

Police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane, confirmed Shahiel’s aunt and her mother had been arrested. They allegedly drank brake fluid in botched suicide attempts on Saturday.

The aunt has been discharged from hospital and is in police custody, while her mother is under police guard in hospital.

The aunt was expected to appear in court later on Tuesday.

 Meanwhile, police have denied being negligent in the search for Shahiel, who was found murdered four days after he was kidnapped.

Police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane, said officers were mobilised on Saturday after a kidnapping case was registered by the boy’s mother, Ishara Deonarian, at 3.40am.

A missing person’s report had been registered at 9pm on Thursday after the boy’s disappearance that morning.

Shahiel had been on his way to Clayhaven Primary School, just a few minutes from his Clayfield, Phoenix, home.

On Monday, hundreds of Phoenix residents filled a giant marquee on the school sports field for what was initially a memorial service. About two hours in, word was received that Shahiel’s body had been released to his family for burial according to Islamic funeral rites.

His mother had to be supported when her son’s coffin was brought in. Her colleagues from Nu Shifa Hospital, where she works as a receptionist, comforted her as she wept.

 

His Grade 4 class teacher, Felicia Deepnarian, recalled how Shahiel had hugged her and said “thank you, ma’am, see you tomorrow” when he left school on Wednesday.

 

Deepnarian thought nothing of his absence from class on Thursday until she heard he was missing that night.

“I thought for sure we would find him safe on Friday. I am shattered by what happened. Such a pleasant child, so full of life and a smile that could melt your heart,” she said.

Acting principal, Mohamed Azeem Moidin, opened the school as a makeshift headquarters for the hundreds of people and about 50 police officers who joined the search.

“People have not slept, they made Clayhaven their home to find this little boy. You searched any nook and cranny,” he said.

“This child was your child and although tempers were flaring, you claimed ownership of him and would not rest until he was found.”

Moidin went on to narrate how his cat would not let him near its kittens even though it was his cat and he fed it.

“Animals are more caring towards their young than we are of ours,” he said, stirring the crowd.

Religious and political leaders, officials from the Department of Education, eThekwini Municipality and the KZN legislature attended the funeral.

Meanwhile, Community Safety MEC Willies Mchunu has expressed shock and anger at the “heinous” murder of Shahiel, condemning it as “cruel, senseless and inhumane”.

“It is always painful and saddening to lose any life, but it is even more painful when a young life is lost in such a cruel manner,” he said.

“Such inhumane incidents must not make us numb. We need to continue raising awareness so that communities can expose perpetrators and eliminate these serious crimes.”

Police were working around the clock on the case, he said, pleading with anyone with information about the murder to share it with the police.

He also called on residents to “observe calm and restraint” and allow the police to continue their investigations.

Daily News

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