Durban — On Saturday it will be exactly a month that 22-year-old Comfort Ngubo, who is charged with five murders, has been behind bars since his re-arrest. He now faces more time in the slammer as he was refused bail.
Ngubo was re-arrested at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on March 15 and charged with five murders.
This was minutes after having charges of being found with a gun and ammunition provisionally withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
On Thursday his attorney, Mthokozisi Mazibuko, said that the magistrate denied him bail because he had committed serious crimes. He will be back in court on May 31.
In this matter, Ngubo, who was said to have committed the crime with others who were not before the court, allegedly shot and killed Sibonelo Shezi, Siboniso Vilakazi, Sipho Zikho, Siphumelele Makaza, and Sibonelo Mthethwa on May 8 in Clermont on 9th Avenue.
Ngubo was also charged for possession of a firearm without a licence. The State alleged that Ngubo was found with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol as well as 17 rounds of 9mm Parabellum live ammunition on August 2 last year at a house in Kloof.
Before his re-arrest for the alleged murders, Ngubo had been out on R8 000 bail on the firearm and ammunition charge.
At the time that he was arrested for possession of the gun last year, he and co-accused Njabulo Mchunu, 31, and Sphamandla Hadebe, 24, spent 15 days in jail before being granted bail on August 16.
Mchunu was allegedly found in possession of a black 9mm pistol and ammunition while Hadebe was allegedly found in possession of a shotgun and 24 rounds of ammunition.
The three were also suspected of being linked to a mass shooting in Savannah Park in which seven people were killed.
During the shooting, which took place at Siqhopholozi tuck shop, owner Bhekumuzi Mzobe, his nephews Siboniso Mzobe and Sanele Khenisa, as well as Phumlani Mpithimpithi, Sphamandla Shezi and Siyakudumisa Mtshengu died. The seventh person died later in hospital.
Five days after the trio’s release on bail, Hadebe was allegedly assassinated.
Hadebe was allegedly killed after a church gathering in Wyebank where men who arrived there in a white Ford double cab with a police registration plate, suspected to be fake, opened fire.
Three men were arrested for Hadebe’s alleged murder and are all currently out on R20 000 bail.
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