Courtroom A at the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s court was packed on Friday September 29 when a 24-year-old man, accused of the murder of 9-year-old Aqeel Davids last month, made his first appearance.
The court heard that Dylan Petersen, who faces charges of murder and three charges of attempted murder, was out on bail for another murder charge at the time of the shooting on September 9.
Mr Petersen, an Ocean View resident, was arrested in Manenberg on Tuesday September 26.
State Prosecutor, Chloe Morris told the court that Mr Petersen had been arrested after being identified by one of the victims following a photo parade.
Wearing a green khaki jacket with his dreadlocks tied in a bun on top of his head, Mr Petersen showed no emotion as the court heard he had a long rap sheet of pending charges against him which included a charge of murder for which he will appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday November 14 as well as a drug-related charge in 2011 and a charge related to the Marines Resources Act in 2013.
He opted for Legal Aid and told the court he intended to apply for bail.
Ms Morris indicated to the court that the State would oppose bail.
Aqeel was shot in the head by a stray bullet after an unknown man ran into his grandmother’s Nebula Way house in an attempt to escape fire from an alleged gangster with a gun. Several shots were fired into the back door of the house and then through the front window of the house, fatally wounding Aqeel as well as his father, Sedick Davids, 35, his uncle, Ishmaeel Davids, 26 and the unknown man.
His aunt, Mieshka Davids-Williams, 28 was wounded in the chest by a bullet which ricocheted.
The family was busy preparing for the wedding of Aqeel’s grandmother, Chanaaz Davids who was not home during the shooting (“Casualties of war”, Echo, September 14).
Ms Morris said six bullet casings were found at the back door but it was still unclear how many shots in total were fired at the house.
Thecasewaspostponedto tomorrow,FridayOctober6for a Legal Aid lawyer to come on record.
Last week, police indicated in a media statement that two suspects had been arrested for the murder but clarified on Friday that the second suspect was arrested for a separate incident which happened on Saturday September 9 and was not related to the murder of Aqeel.
Outside court, Ocean View resident and neighbourhood watch member, Paul Franke said he could not comment on the case but said he and other community member came to show their support by wearing T-shirts with the faces of murdered baby Zahnia Woodward, Mansoer Peterson, Cameron Britz and Rastafarian Donald Allen. “They will not be forgotten,” he said.
