Two Hanover Park skollies accused of shooting and killing six-year-old Zakariyah Noble have been sentenced to 25 years in the mang after pleading guilty at the Wynberg Regional Court.
Tears flowed on Friday as the heartbroken parents of the boy finally received justice for their son, as Chandler Harper and Keanan America entered into a plea deal.
The duo were busted alongside Riaan Matthews by the Anti-Gang Unit after the senseless shooting on 16 October 2023, when Zakariyah was struck in the chest while with his uncle and cousins in Surwood Walk.
Zakariyah’s death sparked an outcry as a video emerged of the Grade R learner from Turfhall Primary School telling his classmates that he dreamed of becoming a police officer to “punish the bad guys”.
During proceedings at Athlone Magistrates Court, it was revealed that an eyewitness told police that they spotted all three suspects holding guns and opening fire on a group of people.
America and Harper were linked via identity parades but Matthews tried to fool investigators by sending another person to be photographed in his place. However, the wakker State witness led cops straight to his home.
Magistrate Keith Le Keur later denied the trio bail amid protracted hearings.
Zakariyah’s dad Kieyamodien said after months of delays the duo returned to court on Friday where the plea statements were read into the record.
He says: “Chandler and Keanan pleaded guilty and after all this time they admitted that they were part of a gang shooting saying they were shooting at rivals when Zakariyah was hit.
“They told the magistrate that they wanted to apologise to the family and were sorry, but we think that was to make [it look] as if they were remorseful. But in all the court appearances they were arrogant.
“They were laughing and making jokes and didn’t seem to care about what we were going through.
“The plea deal was discussed with us and it was agreed that they would get 25 years [in prison],” the hartseer father explained.
“The magistrate did say that if she found them guilty on trial they would have gotten life.”
He added the family was informed that Matthews insists he was not guilty, and will go on trial on 17 January 2025.
Kieyamodien says: “The other two never implicated him directly in their pleas but they did say there was a third shooter.
“As a family, we are content with the outcome and that there has been justice for Zakariyah. We will return to court for [Matthews’] trial.”
The father said the family had received an outpouring of support from their Hanover Park neighbours and Zakariyah’s dream of seeing criminals thrown behind bars continued to motivate them to fight for justice.
He adds: “I completed a victim impact statement and I said it is ironic that my son’s dreams was to put bad guys away and his death actually saw gunmen go to jail.
“We are very grateful for all the support we received and we miss him every day.”