Sakhumzi restaurant murder case postponed

THE case against one of the two accused of the Sakhumzi restaurant murder has been postponed to next week to allow the state more time to investigate.

Njabulo Ngubane, 24‚ from Dube Hostel‚ Soweto‚ was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend regarding the murder of the manager of the world-famous eatery, Kwesi Hudson, 60, last month.

Ngubane appeared in the Orlando Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon. The state asked that he be kept in custody at the Orlando police station holding cells until his next court appearance on Wednesday.

“We have formally opposed bail because the charges that the accused faces fall under the schedule six category. Bail will not be considered unless he brings a formal bail application before court,” said prosecutor Nadine Franks.

Ngubane is charged with murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The second accused, who cannot be named until he appears in court, was implicated in another restaurant robbery in November. He was also arrested in KwaZulu-Natal and is set to appear in the same court today.

He faces charges of armed robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

The weapon might have been involved in the killing of Hudson.

Hudson was shot and killed during an armed robbery at the restaurant after refusing entry to two men in the early hours of 29 January. He had informed them that the eatery was closed for the day.

He officially joined the restaurant in 2015 to help expand the business.

Meanwhile, Hudson’s body has officially been repatriated to his home country‚ Ghana. “My father’s body was repatriated to Ghana on Monday and has already arrived there and will be buried at the end of March‚” said Kojo Hudson‚ the victim’s eldest son.