Three men accused of killing five-year-old Ditebogo Phalane appeared briefly at the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court, where they abandoned their bail application.
Two men from Soshanguve, north of Tshwane, Elia Moeko, 36, Ali Sithole, 30 and Nido Gumbe, 29, from Mozambique, are facing charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Additionally, Gumbe is facing a charge of being in the country illegally.
According to NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, said the accused abandoned their bail application after disclosing to the court that they had pending cases.
Mahanjana said Moeko has a pending case of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of unlicensed ammunition.
Sithole has a pending case at Ga-Rankuwa Magistrates’ Court where he will be appearing on June 28, 2024 on charges of possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, attempted murder, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
“He also has a pending case at Atteridgeville Magistrates’ Court where he is facing charges of possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition,” added Mahanjana.
Meanwhile, Gumbe has a pending case at Atteridgeville Magistrates’ Court where he is facing charges of possession of a unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.
Phalane was shot on May 10, 2024 at his home in Soshanguve during a botched hijacking when his father, Tebogo Phalane, was returning home around 10pm.
The accused were arrested on May 23 at Pretoria Moot Police where they had been detained for unrelated charges.
The matter was postponed to August 27 for further investigations.
IOL News