Glebelands arrest in court gallery
A suspect was arrested in a gallery of the Durban Magistrate’s Court when he came to support his friend.
|||Durban - A suspect was arrested in the gallery of courtroom 10 in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday when he came to support his friend, an accused charged with the murder of an alleged Glebelands Hostel gang leader.
The provincial task team were in search of the two outstanding suspects who, with Glebelands Hostel resident, Bongani Mbhele, had allegedly been hired by the leader of the “Hlophe Gang” to kill William Mthembu.
Soon after Mthembu and his friend, Thokozani Machi, were fatally shot in the parking area of Shoprite in Montclair last month, the three men responsible fled in a car with false registration plates.
Mbhele was arrested while the two others were still at large. Warrant Officer Vusimuzi Shabangu, of the Provincial Task Team, said outside court, that one of the outstanding suspects was arrested in court on Tuesday.
According to Shabangu’s affidavit opposing Mbhele’s bail application, read out to the court by prosecutor, Sharon Moodley, it is alleged two gangs have been killing each other and ruling the Glebelands Hostel, in uMlazi, with guns.
The gangs, each named after their respective leaders, Mthembu and Bonga Hlophe, are known as “Mthembu” and “Hlophe”. It is alleged Mbhele belonged to the Hlophe faction and was hired after the leader received information that Mthembu was going to Shoprite in Montclair.
Shabangu said the three men were armed with 9mm calibre firearms and were transported by Hlophe’s friend in his car that had false registration plates.
Community activist, Vanessa Burger, had previously told the Daily News that Mthembu and Machi had been living on “borrowed time” as there had been previous attempts on their lives.
According to activist group, GroundUp, there had been more than 20 deaths in the past year, despite officials saying they had brokered a peace deal.
Mthembu, Machi and another friend (a witness) left the hostel on September 12 to go to the Montclair Shoprite, apparently unaware they were being followed and monitored in the store by the three men.
Shabangu said three suspects followed the three men out the store and into the parking area where they started shooting, killing Mthembu and Machi.
The investigating officer said there were witnesses in the store and parking area who were willing to testify.
Police watched the video footage, Shabangu said, and identified Mbhele as one of the suspects.
Mbhele faces two counts of murder and one of attempted murder. Shabangu testified that a projectile was found inside a car with a shattered windscreen. The person in the car at the time was not hurt.
The State opposed bail because Mbhele was considered a flight risk because he stayed at the hostel, not a permanent home, was unemployed and could easily leave without a trace.
Shabangu referred to a murder and attempted murder charge which was withdrawn in the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court, but, according to Shabangu, was expected to be reinstated.
The State also alleged Mbhele could interfere with State witnesses who lived in the area as Mbhele had police friends who could easily use their knowledge to get information from the witnesses.
It is also alleged Mbhele could destroy police evidence such as the gun and clothes he was wearing on the day of the shooting.
The defence has disputed the video footage and argued Mbhele could not be clearly identified as the person was wearing a cap. However, Shabangu testified the police looked at footage from eight different cameras in the store.
The defence also disputed the cellphone evidence that placed Mbhele at the crime scene and called the evidence from witnesses a “fabrication”.
The bail application continues on Wednesday.
noelene.barbeau@inl.co.za
Daily News
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