Man Arrested for Rustenburg Businessman Ben Gumbi's Murder Asks for Bail Despite 2 Pending Cases

• One of the men accused in the murder of Rustenburg businessman Ben Gumbi said he was paid R15 000 to ferry passengers from Joburg to Rustenburg
• Sibongiseni Ngubane, a Bolt driver, asked the court to grant him bail even though he has two pending cases against him
• South Africans are more interested in finding out who the mastermind behind Gumbi's murder is

RUSTENBURG - One of the men accused of the murder of popular Rustenburg businessman Ben Gumbi has applied for bail.

Two assailants shot Gumbi in front of Platō Coffee in the Rustenburg CBD. The murder was caught on CCTV.

Man says he was paid R15K to drive to Rustenburg

Sibongiseni Ngubane, one of the alleged hitmen, appeared at the Rustenburg Magistrate's Court in the North West, where he told the court that he was paid R15 000 to drive from Johannesburg to Rustenburg on 28 August, reported SowetanLIVE.

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Ngubane worked as a Bolt driver and reportedly received a call from his friend Sibiya on the morning of the murder to drive people to the North West.

He told the court that he usually transported passengers in a Toyota Yaris but was asked to drive a blue VW Polo. Ngubane said he was told they had a job to do.

“They told me that I must leave my car and get inside another car... They did not tell me what kind of a job we’d be doing in Rustenburg,” said Ngubane.

Ngubane said he did not question why they had to change cars and why they returned to Gauteng in a different vehicle. He also claimed that he was shocked when he was paid R15 000 for the trip, not the usual R2 000.

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Accused murderer has pending cases

Ngubane asked the court to grant him bail despite having two pending criminal cases.

The prosecution told the court that the accused was granted R1 000 bail for an illegal firearm charge in Germiston, Ekhuruleni. He was also implicated in a cash-in-transit heist in Alberton.

According to IOL, he was granted R3 000 bail for the charge in Alberton. Ngubane asked the court for bail, saying that his life was not in danger even though his co-conspirators were still on the run.

Mzansi weighs in

Jez Mukwevho said:

"A human life is no longer valued in SA. #BringBackTheDeathPenalty"

Nditsheni Mushavhi Tshithavhane said:

"Can’t Bolt and Uber require a police clearance certificate for their drivers, this is unacceptable. Our kids are not safe here."

MJ LebetsaSaid:

"He is clearly lying he knew he was hired to kill that man."

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Siyabonga Warren Maphamela commented:

"Only R15K for taking a life? I guess money is money, no matter how much is it!"

Brian Modisane said:

"Paid by whom? We want the mastermind, not the foot soldiers."

@KeMariri said:

"Pending cases... justice system still entertains bail."

Suspected hitman wanted in connection with 8 murders killed

Briefly News previously reported that a 35-year-old suspected wanted hitman was killed during a shoot-out with police in the South Coast area.

The man was wanted in connection with eight murders related to the taxi industry. Officers from the Rapid Rail police unit and the provincial investigations and tracking task team conducted the operation in Seaview.

Source: Briefly News