Threats allegedly sent to family members of men accused of Ditebogo Phalane's murder

The three men accused of killing five-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane in May this year while hijacking his father outside their home in Soshanguve have again abandoned their bail applications.

Elia Moeko, 36, Ali Sithole, 30, and Nido Gumbe, 29, appeared in the Pretoria North magistrate's court on Thursday.

Defence attorney Thulani Kekana said their families were concerned about their safety should they be released from custody.

“The public order might be disturbed should the accused continue to bring a bail application. I am not going to disclose what has happened with the family but they have been receiving messages that are not appropriate. We are abandoning our bail [bid],” he said.

The case was postponed to December 4 after prosecutor Tumelo Letatoana said the state wanted to request access to the accused's cellphone records. Police investigations are also ongoing and they are awaiting a decision by the director of public prosecutions on whether the accused's cases will be centralised, Letatoana said.

In May, the three men abandoned their bail applications and disclosed they had pending cases.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka 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 magistrate’s court 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 magistrate’s court, where he is facing charges of possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition.

Gumbe has a pending case at Atteridgeville magistrate’s court for possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition.

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