The man accused of the callous murder of businessman Ben Gumbi has told the court that he was paid R15,000 to drive from Johannesburg to Rustenburg.
SowetanLIVE reported that Sibongiseni Ngubane sought bail at the Rustenburg magistrate’s court. He faces charges related to the murder of Gumbi, who was fatally shot by two assailants in front of Platō Coffee in Rustenburg’s central business district on August 23.
Driver Speaks Ben Gumbi Assassination Job
Ngubane revealed to the court that he worked as a Bolt driver with a Toyota Yaris to transport passengers in Gauteng. On August 23, he received a request from his friend Sibiya to transport people from Johannesburg to Rustenburg. The passengers supplied him with a blue VW Polo for the journey but did not disclose the nature of their business in Rustenburg. It later emerged that the Polo was stolen and equipped with fake registration plates.
They abandoned the Polo in Rustenburg and returned to Johannesburg in a Toyota Corolla Quest driven by another person. Ngubane admitted that he did not initially question the switch of vehicles but became curious about it later. He inquired about payment the following day, and Sibiya handed him R15,000. This startled him as it was an unusually high amount for a single trip.
Ngubane conceded that he had never earned such a substantial sum from a single trip, considering that a Bolt journey from Johannesburg to Rustenburg typically costs around R2,000.
Henry Mamothame, the North West NPA spokesperson, asserted that the state possessed ample evidence linking Ngubane to the crime scene.
“He also placed himself at the crime scene and his fingerprints were found in the Polo. We have evidence to believe that he was one of the triggermen at the crime scene but all these details will be used at a later stage of the trial,” said Mamothame in court.
Old Cases Reemerge
Ngubane is facing another case involving the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in Alberton, Ekurhuleni. He also has a charge related to a cash-in-transit robbery for which he received bail in Germiston. His bail conditions include refraining from any criminal activities or possessing firearms.
The prosecutor asked why Ngubane always involves himself in crime despite receiving bail twice. Ngubane expressed remorse for contravening his bail conditions and requested that the court grant him similar bail conditions.
The Murder Of Ben Gumbi
Ben Gumbi, a North West businessman, tragically lost his life when two individuals shot him outside a Rustenburg restaurant. CCTV footage captured the chilling incident and the video swiftly circulated across social media platforms.
While the motive behind Gumbi’s murder remains shrouded in mystery, reports speculate that it might be connected to a land dispute adjacent to Sun City. Gumbi had several enterprises in mining, construction, and security.