Junior was killed as he rushed to give his father a welcome hug on his dad's return from work early in the evening. His family, who have been waiting for justice since the 2024 incident, were in court.
Maeko, Ali Sithole, 30, and Nido Gumbo, 29, face charges of murder and robbery, with Gumbo facing an extra charge of being in SA illegally.
In September, Maeko and his co-accused abandoned bail, stating 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,” said their lawyer, Thulani Kekana, in September. “I am not going to disclose what has happened with the families [of the accused], but they have been receiving messages that are not appropriate. We are abandoning our bail [bid].”
The state previously opposed bail and informed the court that they would oppose it again because public order would be disturbed if the accused were released.
All three suspects have cases pending in other courts and were out on bail at the time Junior was killed.
Maeko was out on bail for possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition at the time.
Sithole has a pending case at the Ga-Rankuwa magistrate’s court, where he faces a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Gumbo has a pending case at the Atteridgeville magistrate’s court for possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition.
SowetanLIVE
Man accused of little Junior Phalane's murder last year makes third bid for bail
Image: Herman Moloi
Almost a year since little Ditebogo Junior Phalane, 5, was shot dead at his home in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, the trial is yet to get under way.
One of the accused in the murder case, Elia Maeko, was set to make his third bid for bail on Wednesday.
Maeko, 36, is among the three suspects accused of shooting Junior during a hijacking incident at the Phalane family’s home on May 10 last year.
By 1pm on Wednesday, the matter had not yet started in the Pretoria North magistrate’s court.
Junior was killed as he rushed to give his father a welcome hug on his dad's return from work early in the evening. His family, who have been waiting for justice since the 2024 incident, were in court.
Maeko, Ali Sithole, 30, and Nido Gumbo, 29, face charges of murder and robbery, with Gumbo facing an extra charge of being in SA illegally.
In September, Maeko and his co-accused abandoned bail, stating 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,” said their lawyer, Thulani Kekana, in September. “I am not going to disclose what has happened with the families [of the accused], but they have been receiving messages that are not appropriate. We are abandoning our bail [bid].”
The state previously opposed bail and informed the court that they would oppose it again because public order would be disturbed if the accused were released.
All three suspects have cases pending in other courts and were out on bail at the time Junior was killed.
Maeko was out on bail for possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition at the time.
Sithole has a pending case at the Ga-Rankuwa magistrate’s court, where he faces a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Gumbo has a pending case at the Atteridgeville magistrate’s court for possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition.
SowetanLIVE
Men accused of killing Ditebogo Junior (5) intend to apply for bail
WATCH | Dad reminisces about slain son Ditebogo as three suspects appear in court
One of Ditebogo’s alleged killers has pending attempted murder case, another suspected to be in SA illegally
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