The three men arrested for the shooting of 5-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane from Soshanguve during a hijacking of his father’s car, have abandoned their bid to be released on bail after they disclosed other matters with similar charges.

All three men informed the court on Tuesday that they would be abandoning their bail bid as they had other pending matters against them, which they would also be appearing for this year.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, speaking after the men appeared in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, said the men had been positively linked to the shooting of the young boy on May 10.

The trio, Elia Moeko, 36, Ali Sithole, 30, and Nido Gumbe, 29, would face charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, she said.

Gumbe, a Mozambican national, would also face a charge of being illegally in the country, she added.

The other pending matters against the accused come from other courts, including one against Sithole for the possession of a firearm and ammunition, attempted murder, and robbery with aggravating circumstances at the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court on June 28.

The prosecuting authority sad Sithole also had another pending matter at the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court where he is facing charges of possession of prohibited firearms and possession of ammunition.

Meanwhile, Moeko had a pending matter of possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of ammunition which he was also appearing for in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court, which had been postponed to August 27.

Gumbe has another matter, also at the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court, for possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition.

The trio were arrested on May 23 and kept at the Pretoria Moot police station, following investigations by the Directorate for Priority Crime Detection.

The Phalane matter was postponed to August 27 for further investigations, and for a decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Star

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