Nahemia killer gets 58 years
Nearly five years after little Nahemia Claasen was shot and killed while playing outside his Parkwood home his killer has been sentenced to 58 years in the mang by the Western Cape High Court.
Tears flowed in the courtroom in Wynberg on Tuesday as convicted child killer Christopher Kemp appeared before Judge Amanda van Leeve to hear his fate after being found guilty for the murder last week.
Nahemia was shot just metres from his home in Parker’s Walk on 7 September 2020 amid a bloody gang war between the Mongrels and the Six Bobs gangs.
His death sparked an outcry as Grassy Park cops went on the hunt for Kemp, an alleged member of the Mongrels gang.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Kemp had been shot a few days earlier by the Six Bobs gang and returned to Parker’s Walk to seek revenge.
Kemp missed his target and Nahemia was struck.
He was rushed to Red Cross Hospital where he was later declared brain dead and died.
During the trial which is being heard at the Wynberg Circuit Court Kemp pleaded not guilty to all the charges and took the stand in his own defence.
He brazenly told the judge that he fired four skote at a gang rival known as “Ghost” and contested the evidence of state witnesses who said Nahemia was standing nearby and was instead struck.
During final arguments yesterday Nahemia’s mother was seen weeping in the public gallery as the prosecutor read out the Victim Impact Assessment reports.
The prosecutor revealed that Nahemia’s younger brother was left so traumatised by the shooting that he often wished he was dead.
“Zachery is suffering and most of the time he says I want to die so I can be with my brother,” the prosecutor said.
Kemp’s defence lawyer caused a stir in the courtroom when he was heard saying mense on the Cape Flats chose to live where gangs operate.
In her judgment Van Leeve sentenced Kemp to life in prison for the murder, five years for the illegal possession of a firearm, five years for defeating the ends of justice, eight years for various accounts of attempted murder and five years for charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
Nahemia’s hartseer mother Danielle says: “I am happy with the sentence and I am grateful for the judge and prosecutor.
“I know that nothing will bring Nahemia back, but at least I have peace of mind knowing that his murderer is paying for what he done to my son. I will never forget. It still hurts, it hurts everyday.
“Just knowing that his death is not in vain as there are other parents who don’t get justice.
“I am one of the fortunate mommies who got justice and I am thankful to everyone, the detectives and those of the community who supported us.”
