Liam's mom 'not vengeful'

2005-10-12 15:33

Johannesburg - Anastasia Aspeling, mother of ten-year-old Liam who was found on Wednesday after his kidnapping in Ennerdale south of Johannesburg the day before, says she is not someone who seeks revenge.

"I just want my son back. The law can deal with the people who took him (if they are arrested) as it sees fit."

However, while pointing to the spot where he was taken, she referred to Liam's abductors as "varke" (pigs).

"They must leave these children alone. These are our children," she said, pointing to the crowd of mainly children waiting to welcome her son home.

Aspeling was snatched out of a car outside his house while on his way to school.

Dropped at fruiterer

A friend of the family, Galieb Essop, told Sapa on Wednesday afternoon that the family had received a call that he had been given a pizza and dropped off at a fruiterer.

"He is now on his way home," said Essop.

Aspeling said she managed one hour's sleep, but had held strong faith in Liam's returning. "They say faith can move mountains."

She said that Liam had told her over the phone that he was looking forward to drinking a Coke.

Meanwhile, Liam's schoolmates eagerly awaited his return.

One said that since Liam's abduction, his mother had not let him stand alone outside his house.

"I prayed until I cried," said another school friend Melory Gibson.

'Whole school started screaming'

Others said that when his school, Aloe Ridge Primary in nearby Walkerville, heard that he had been found, "the whole school started screaming".

Police had cordoned off the road around the family's home in Vulcan Street and one said the boy was being debriefed at the Ennerdale police station and would soon be on his way home.

The boy's father, Vernon, has reportedly been under witness protection for two years pending his appearance as a State witness in a hijacking trial scheduled to start in the Cape High Court on Monday.

This is according to advocate William Booth, defence counsel for two of the 11 accused, brothers Selwyn and Virgil de Vries, both from Ennerdale.

The De Vries brothers, who were arrested last year and are in Goodwood Prison in Cape Town, have both pleaded not guilty of armed robberies involving R2.2m between June and October 2003.

Police have released identikits of two men wanted in connection with Liam's kidnapping.

- SAPA