South African man found guilty of killing his 5-year-old son amid paternity dispute with the child's mother

A father who killed his 5-year-old son after an argument with the child’s mother over his paternity was found guilty by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. 

Ronald Ngobeni, 29, was found guilty of killing Khayone Rivoningo Capu in Tembisa on October 7, 2022. 

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, explained that on the day of the incident, Ngobeni went to Ivory Park where his son had been living with his mother and grandparents. 

He asked his grandparents to go with the boy to the mall where he would buy him clothes and return him later.

However, Ngobeni had other plans. He brutally killed his son 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,” said Mjonondwane.

His decomposed body was eventually found on October, 16 in a shallow grave under a bridge. He had a fatal head injury.

In court, Ngobeni refused to reveal how he had killed the boy. 

However, he testified that he killed him because he was angry at his mother and grandmother after they insulted him and told him that the boy was not his child. 

He added that the paternity issue caused a lot of fights. He said that at one point they told him that he should kill the child if that’s what would make him happy.

Ngobeni said he did exactly as he was told.

The case was postponed to July 15 for mitigation and aggravation arguments.