Wentworth mother calls for justice after son’s brutal murder

A WENTWORTH mother, who is still battling to come to terms with the violent death of her son, is hoping that justice takes its course.

What started out as a normal day, on Friday, 27 September 2019 at home with family quickly turned sour when Vanessa Canham’s son, Preston Khachane was called by a friend to meet him at a tuck shop on Silvertree Road. Little did she know that this would be where he would take his last breath before being shot 15 times by a group of men suspected to be rival drug dealers in the area.

This is according to his mother Vanessa, who spoke to the SUN and  recalled the frantic and heart palpitating moment of panic when her daughter shared that she received a phone call informing her of the shooting. “When we arrived at the scene there were a few people who gathered around as though they were waiting for an ambulance. I got out the car and ran to see what these people were watching. I got there and he was already covered with a duvet with his one leg showing. I could see his tattoo at the back of his leg and I already knew, deep down, it was him. His wife was also there sitting on the side of the road. I demanded that she unveil the duvet cover because I wanted to see for myself that it really was my child. I’ll never forget the bullet wounds on his face, his lifeless body laying there and the stream of blood that flowed from his head down the road,” said an emotional Vanessa.

Five months later, with little to no answers from Wentworth police, where the case was opened, Vanessa is now demanding that police do their job. “The investigating officer has been very arrogant and rude since he took on this case,” she said, adding that in the many times that she and her daughter, Marisa have been to the station with hopes to speak to him, he was on leave or unavailable to attend to them.

“He has been dragging his feet in making any progress on this case and I don’t understand why. There was a getaway car that was left abandoned by the suspects just a short distance away from the murder scene, a cellphone as well as a gun found in that same car. The police know this, they retrieved this evidence but it seems nothing is being done. There were even witnesses who could assist with some kind of information but no one has been questioned. I can’t understand why they can’t do anything,” she said with frustration.

The family has also resorted to asking for assistance from the Hawks in efforts to make headway in the case and ultimately find peace in having Preston’s murderer behind bars. The unsolved case has not only been an emotional burden for the family but has also brought concerns for their own safety as the motivation behind Preston’s murder is unclear. Payment policies taken by the late father of three, aged five, six and nine, have also been suspended due to the investigation.

“Those monies were supposed to provide for his children and for their future. With the way that things are, we have no idea what the outcome will be and what is going to be of my grandchildren. My son may have been involved in wrong things but he wasn’t a bad person and he never hurt anybody. He didn’t deserve this. The police must do their work and honour the oath that they made. I need to know who did this,” she said.

Wentworth police communications officer, Captain Mbuso Gumede said that he could not divulge the details or progress of the case but did confirm that it is currently under investigation and all possible leads are being investigated.

DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp or Telegram, send an invite to 061 694 6047
The South Coast Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?

Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.

To receive our free newsletter click here

(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)