Suspects in court for Sipho’s murder
Police in Belfast was already busy with an investigation after more people went missing and this case immediately caught their attention
Three suspects appeared at Witbank Magistrate’s Court earlier this week in connection with the murder of Sipho Given Gumede.
The three men first appeared on August 27 and on Monday, September 9 for a formal bail application.
The bail application took most of the afternoon but the power outage at court postponed the application until Wednesday, September 11.
A fourth accused got bail in Kwaggafontein.
Sipho went missing on Saturday, August 3. It was reported that Sipho dropped his wife off at a family’s friend’s home and was supposed to fetch her again around 21:00 that evening but never pitched.
According to police, she tried calling Sipho but he did not pick up his phone and it was then later switched off.
Sipho’s vehicle, a blue Volkswagen Polo, was found at Kwaggafontein later that week and his body found in Thusanang squatter camp not much later.
The missing person case that was opened at Witbank Police Station raised a red flag in an ongoing investigation in Belfast by police officers as the circumstances surrounding the case was very similar to murders in the Belfast area.
Police in Belfast was already busy with an investigation after more people went missing and this case immediately caught their attention.
Witbank and Belfast Police, as well as members of the South African Community Crime Watch (SACCW) joined forces and went on a manhunt to find the suspects.
Sipho’s wife, Maria* spoke with a heavy heart saying that she feels the justice system failed her, “They kidnapped and killed my husband.
For what reason, I don’t know. The criminals are now in prison, awaiting their bail application; but now the same state is hearing the complaints of the criminals, how they don’t feel safe and more. What about me? What about my kids, left without a father? My kids can’t play outside and they can’t have a childhood because we are not safe. I am not sending them to crèche as I am living in so much fear for our lives. My husband was a family man, he was a father and a working man,” she said.
Her eyes shot full of tears as she continued: “The one guy is out on bail. He has connections. I am living in so much fear every day of my life. How can the state give you bail of R3 000 when you allegedly bought a car with your friends for R6 000 with all that blood? Because that is what they told the court. They said that they bought my husbands car for R6 000; that is why the car was in the yard of the one accused. This is not only a fight for me; this is a fight for the entire community. We all need to be safe. I am not sleeping and my kids have been robbed of a childhood.”
She added that she is forever thankful for the wonderful work the police did to apprehend the suspects and to all the detectives who worked around the clock, “They didn’t sleep in order to catch the criminals. And now? What about the justice system?”
*Another name was used to protect the identity of the person.
*The outcome of the bail application was not known before going to print but keep an eye on www.witbanknews.co.za for the latest developments about the case.
