Murder suspect Thabani Gwala (30), the second accused in the Ben Gumbi murder case, chose to abandon his scheduled bail application on Tuesday. The Rustenburg Magistrates Court has postponed his case to January 9, 2024, aligning it with the appearance of of the, first accused Sibongiseni Ngubane. The matter has been postponed for further investigations.
Gwala faces a murder charge connected to the death of Rustenburg businessman Ben Gumbi. The latest arrest of Gwala on November 16, in Johannesburg resulted from the collaborative efforts of the Hillbrow Tactical Response Team (TRT), Rustenburg Crime Intelligence, and Rustenburg Detectives. The first accused, Ngubane (33), was previously denied bail, as he awaits trial on January 9.
Both accused, Gwala and Ngubane will appear on the same day in court. In the meantime, both men from KwaZulu-Natal, will spend their Christmas holiday behind bars - away from their families. Ngubane, who faces a premeditated murder charge, was arrested in Germiston on September 12 with a history of charges, including armed robbery and possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On August 23, two assailant, believed to be hired hitmen, fatally shot Gumbi (49) outside a Rustenburg eatery. The suspects fled in a stolen blue Volkswagen Polo, whihc was later found abandoned. Ongoing investigations aim to apprehend additional suspects believed to be at large.
