A man accused of going on a violent rampage with a gardening tool near Hammanskraal has been denied bail.
Romeo Shibambu is alleged to have murdered three people, including a three-year-old, and injured two others in Suurman on 30 September.
The Temba Magistrate’s Court on Thursday denied the 37-year-old bail, and he will return to court on 27 November.
Toddler beaten to death
On the day of the murders, Shibambu is believed to have been going to a shop with his spade when he saw children playing near a neighbour’s house.
He approached the children and allegedly beat a three-year-old to death with the spade.
The child’s mother is believed to have sought help from neighbours, but fainted while doing so. Shibambu then allegedly used his spade to kill the 33-year-old mother as she lay on the floor.
The husband and father of the two victims then attempted to intervene, but the altercation resulted in Shibambu allegedly killing the 42-year-old man with the spade.
The court heard how there were warning signs of Shibambu’s potential for violence two days earlier.
The accused was visited by his sister on 28 September, when he is alleged to have struck her with the spade.
“She noticed a garden spade nearby. When she enquired about it, the accused told her that he ‘felt like fighting’ and that if he did, he ‘would win the fight’,” stated Gauteng NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.
“He then allegedly chased his sister away and assaulted her with the spade.”
Attempted murder of taxi driver
After allegedly murdering the family, Shibambu was tracked by a taxi driver who attempted to subdue him.
The taxi driver, too, was then attacked by Shibambu, with the spade-wielding man bringing the injured taxi driver back to his vehicle.
“[Shibambu] got into the taxi and drove off while dragging the taxi driver from outside the taxi until he could not drive any further,” explained Mahanjana.
Upon bringing the taxi to a halt, enough community members had gathered to apprehend Shibambu, who was neutralised while the community awaited the arrival of the police.
The taxi driver survived and was taken to the hospital.
During his bail application, the accused chose to represent himself, but he was unsuccessful as the court deemed him a risk to the community and himself.
“He had allegedly expressed that he wanted to commit suicide because his job was done,” Mahanjana concluded.
Shibambu faces three murder charges, two for attempted murder and one for malicious damage to property.
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