Who is the fifth suspect added in the Tebogo Thobejane attempted murder?
In a significant development in the ongoing attempted murder case involving South African actress Tebogo Thobejane, the State has introduced a fifth suspect, Nthabiseng Nzama
Nzama, 23, appeared briefly before the Alexandra Magistrates' Court on Monday, facing charges related to allegedly facilitating fund transfers between accounts while having knowledge that these funds were derived from criminal activity.
Phindi Mjonondwane, spokesperson for the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) in Gauteng, confirmed that Nzama has been granted bail set at R10,000.
This recent addition to the case comes amid an investigation into an extensive criminal network, stemming from the arrest of suspects linked to the brutal killing of popular musician Oupa John Sefoka, better known to fans as DJ Sumbody.
Police have now confirmed that the suspects arrested for his murder are connected to other killings including the attempted murder of Thobejane, indicating a broader pattern of organised violence.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
6 hours ago
- eNCA
Drunk KZN taxi driver sought after causing accident and fleeing
EMPANGENI - KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma has vowed to take tough action against drunk and reckless drivers who flee accident scenes. This comes after a major crash on the R34 between Empangeni and Eshowe, where an allegedly heavily intoxicated taxi driver caused a collision and ran away. READ: SA's road carnage | Probe into two KZN accidents underway The minibus, carrying family members traveling from Empangeni to eMasangweni, reportedly tried to overtake a Ford Ranger before clipping its rear and forcing both vehicles off the road and down an embankment. Duma says the driver's actions amount to a hit-and-run and could have claimed the lives of up to fourteen passengers. He wants the suspect to face prosecution and a sentence of up to nine years in prison or a fine of R180,000. READ: Truck driver in the N3 deadly crash on the run This is the second case this month involving a drunk driver disappearing after a crash. Duma is urging the public in Empangeni and Eshowe to assist police with any information that could lead to the driver's arrest.
The Citizen
7 hours ago
- The Citizen
South African woman arrested in Bali for alleged drug smuggling
Indonesia has some of the world's toughest drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers. Two people from Brazil and South Africa have been charged in Indonesia for allegedly trying to smuggle four kilograms (8.8 pounds) of drugs into Bali, the anti-narcotics agency said Thursday. The pair were travelling separately when they were arrested on 13 July at the resort island's international airport and could face the death penalty if found guilty. The Brazilian man was allegedly carrying two plastic bags containing just over three kilograms of cocaine in his backpack and luggage, I Made Sinar Subawa, from the local anti-narcotics agency, told a news conference. ALSO READ: Child of South African drug mule in Mauritius prison to return home Made said the suspect was a courier and had been told to deliver the package to a man living in Bali. The South African woman was arrested after arriving from Singapore on the same day with nearly one kilogram of crystal methamphetamine allegedly hidden in her clothing. 'Based on the interrogation, she confessed that she was ordered to carry the meth from Johannesburg to Bali, to be delivered to someone in Bali,' Made said. Indonesia has some of the world's toughest drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers. There are dozens of traffickers on death row in the country, including a cocaine-smuggling British grandmother. ALSO READ: OR Tambo International now a hub for drug mules — expert Indonesia last carried out executions in 2016, killing one Indonesian and three Nigerian drug convicts by firing squad. Drug smuggling cases This is not the first case of South African women being arrested in foreign countries for drug smuggling. Mauritius has seen multiple arrests of South African women involved in drug trafficking. A South African woman was arrested after allegedly being caught with drugs with an estimated value of Rs 8 million (just over R3.3 million) at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport in Mauritius on 17 September 2019. ALSO READ: Cocaine on a plane at OR Tambo – again: Drug mule nabbed with 33 'bullets' Mauritius' Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) in collaboration with the officers of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section of the MRA intercepted the woman coming from Reunion after being alerted of the 'suspicious behaviour' of the woman. The woman, 34-year-old Nokuphila Mtshali, from KwaZulu-Natal, reportedly introduced herself as a businesswoman who would be on the island for five days. The officials searched her and found three plastic-wrapped bundles in her private parts containing 528 grams of heroin. The woman reportedly cooperated with the officials, who arranged a fake delivery with fake drugs in an attempt to find her accomplices, reported Mauritius' The fake delivery led to the arrest of two Nigerian men, Ndubuisi Samuel Ebielonwu, 33, and Eze Collins, 31, and police confiscated an iPhone and cash in rands, Mauritian rupees, US dollar and naira. The woman was reportedly promised R40,000 for a successful delivery. ALSO READ: SA woman arrested for 'drugs in vagina' for two Nigerians in Mauritius A year before, 30-year-old Thami Nomathamsanqa Dyasi was allegedly caught with pellets of heroin weighing more than 1.25kg concealed in her private parts and stomach, according to Mauritian reports. Additional reporting by Vhahangwele Nemakonde
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
‘Millions of Assumptions': Wins SARS Fraud Case, Casts Doubt on Blue Lights Trial
Sifiso Mahlangu | Published 3 hours ago The State's long-standing corruption case against businessman Vimpie Phineas Manthata suffered a major blow this week when the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court acquitted him and his co-accused in a R19 million tax fraud case that had formed a central pillar of the broader 'blue lights' procurement scandal. The verdict, delivered by Magistrate Phindi Keswa, saw Manthata, his company Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (ITLE), and bookkeeper Judy Rose cleared of all charges related to alleged violations of the Tax Administration Act during the 2018 and 2019 tax years. Legal experts say the State's inability to prove its SARS case beyond a reasonable doubt will now put additional pressure on the corruption trial, which has already faced years of delays, procedural blunders, and accusations of political motivation. 'The prosecution could not distinguish between clerical mistakes and criminal conduct,' Magistrate Keswa ruled. 'Assumptions and administrative discrepancies cannot be used to build a case without clear evidence of intent.' The SARS prosecution had alleged that Manthata's company manipulated its tax returns to avoid paying nearly R19 million in VAT and other obligations. But defence attorney Pierre du Toit successfully argued that there was no evidence of fraud, deception, or intent to mislead SARS. 'This case is not about millions of rands, it is about millions of assumptions,' Du Toit told the court during closing arguments. 'The burden is on the State to prove guilt, and it has failed to do so in spectacular fashion.' He cited landmark cases including *State versus Prinsloo* and *State versus Futche*, which require a demonstration of clear intent to commit fraud — a standard the court agreed had not been met. SARS officials admitted under cross-examination that they had no direct proof of falsified entries, and Rose testified that all bookkeeping was done using standard software and practices. The collapse of the tax case undermines the State's broader narrative in the so-called blue lights corruption case, in which Manthata, former acting national police commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane, and ten others face charges linked to the irregular procurement of emergency police equipment worth R191 million. The State had portrayed ITLE as a central vehicle for corrupt payments, with the SARS case meant to illustrate how the company allegedly misrepresented its financial affairs. Now, with the tax fraud allegations discredited, the entire corruption case may be on shaky ground. Last week, the same court postponed the blue lights trial yet again — this time to October 2025 — after severe criticism of the State's inability to produce a coherent charge sheet more than seven years after the case was first opened. Magistrate Ashika Ramalal lambasted the prosecution's handling of the case, saying the delays and repeated administrative errors were unacceptable. Still, she ruled that the trial would go ahead next year, warning that no further postponements would be tolerated. Defence attorneys argued that their clients had suffered severe prejudice and that the continued delays were violating their right to a fair and timely trial. Accused number 9 was even left without legal representation at one point, prompting the State to suggest separating the charges — a proposal strongly opposed by the defence. The situation has been further complicated by the State's repeated failure to serve Phahlane properly and controversy over the dropping and reinstatement of charges against Manthata, a move legal observers say sets a dangerous precedent. But with one major case already dismissed and serious doubts now hanging over the remaining charges, many are questioning whether the blue lights corruption trial will ever result in a conviction, or if it is yet another politically entangled case destined to collapse under the weight of its mismanagement.
