Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Orderick: residents take sides
THE residents of Melton Rose in Kleinvlei have been split into two camps following the kidnapping of Orderick Lucas and the subsequent arrest of Melvyn Volkwyn.
The 20-month-old toddler was last seen on March 24 and his mother’s friend has been charged with kidnapping.
Volkwyn made a second appearance in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court this week, but it was the drama outside the court that caught the imagination of most.
Last week, police found the body of a child in a drain in the area, but there has been no confirmation if it was the body of Orderick. Police say they are still awaiting DNA results. Dressed in blue jeans, black T-shirt and orange top, Volkwyn cut a forlorn figure as proceedings got under way in the cramped courtroom.
At one stage the judge left the courtroom as calm had to be restored before proceedings could resume.
Volkwyn and Davedine Lucas (the toddler’s mother) have been friends since October last year and she admitted that she had often left the boy in his care while she went out to purchase Mandrax and tik for them to use.
Lucas, fighting back the tears, said Orderick had sustained many injuries while in the care of Volkwyn.
According to Lucas, Volkwyn could never provide a reason for the injuries and she had brushed them off because she was dependent on him to provide money for drugs.
The atmosphere outside the courtroom was tense with some residents supporting either the mother of the toddler and his grandmother Cornelia Schippers, while another camp stood on the side of the accused.
A friend of the accused, Jonathan Alexander blamed Oderick’s disappearance on his mother.
Volkwyn is expected to apply for bail at his next court appearance on May 7.