A 15-year-old boy has faced court charged with murdering another boy the same age as he walked home from basketball with friends.
The boy was already in custody for unrelated matters when he was charged with the murder of Dau Akueng, 15, on Tuesday, police said.
He is one of five children and three adults charged with murder over the deaths of Chol Achiek, 12, and Dau 15, on September 6.
The two victims were allegedly set upon by a group of masked males armed with machetes and other bladed weapons at Cobblebank, in Melbourne’s outer north-west.
They died at the scene, with Chol found on Marble Drive and Dau found on Cobble Street, after police allege they were chased and attacked.
A magistrate told the boy on Wednesday he would be remanded in custody over the murder charge.
She said he would return to court for a committal mention on February 18 alongside his underage co-accused.
“Do you have any questions?” the magistrate asked the teen.
The boy will reappear at a children’s court for a rollover remand mention in October.
The adult co-accused – Prince Conteh, 19, Peter Addo, 18, and Abel Sorzor, 19 – all faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday, and were remanded in custody until their next appearance in December.
