One of Ditebogo’s alleged killers has pending attempted murder case, another suspected to be in SA illegally

Elia Maeko, Ali Sithole and Nido Gumbo appeared in the Pretoria North magistrate’s court on Tuesday on a charge of murder and one of robbery with aggravating circumstances. 

Gumbo, a Mozambican national, also faces a charge of being illegally in the country.

They have provisionally abandoned bail.

Ditebogo was fatally wounded outside his home on May 10 while his father was being hijacked.

In total, the police have arrested four suspects.

When each of them appeared previously in various different courts, the public and media were not allowed to witness the proceedings, as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said further investigations needed to be conducted, including an identity parade.

At the time of the arrest, police said a firearm found in the suspects’ possession was thought to be the alleged murder weapon.

According to the NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, Sithole has a matter pending in the Garankuwa magistrate’s court, where he is facing charges of attempted murder, possession of a firearm and ammunition, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

“Accused one (Maeko) is also facing a charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition, [in respect of] which he is appearing in this court, and that matter was postponed to August 27. Accused three (Gumbo) is facing a charge of [possession of a] prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition at Atteridgeville magistrate’s court,” she said.

Mahanjana said that, after investigations by the Hawks, the three were arrested at Pretoria Moot police station on Thursday last week, where they were kept in custody in respect of other unrelated charges.

Gift Makoti, the Phalane family’s spokesperson and the uncle of the slain Ditebogo, said coming face to face with the suspects had brought mixed emotions.

He said the family had received some comfort from seeing progress made in the case.

“The family is still deeply distraught, and I don’t think that feeling will go [away] any time soon,” he said.

Sithole and Gumbo are expected to appear in the Atteridgeville magistrate’s court on Thursday on charges of possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition.

The matter has been postponed to August 27 for further investigations and a decision by the director of public prosecutions.

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