The formal bail application of one of the men charged with murdering and robbing a University of Pretoria (UP) student was postponed for consideration of new evidence.

Student, Thapelo Menwe, 23, was fatally shot in the upper body and robbed of his cellphone and other personal belongings on Grosvenor Street in Hatfield near his home in TuksDorp student residence on September 10.

The accused, Bongani Sibiya and William Seema Makgoba (aged 38 and 33), appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday charged with murder, robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Makgoba’s lawyer asked for postponement of his formal bail application, stating that new evidence was submitted that he needed to review.

The case was postponed to October 11 for the formal bail application. This was the third time the case was postponed.

The NPA opposed bail in the murder case.

In a previous court appearance, Makgoba’s co-accused, Sibiya, abandoned his formal bail application. He instructed his Legal Aid lawyer that he did not want bail. It is believed that Sibiya also filed a confession with the police relating to the charges against him.

The contents of the confession have not yet been served in court.

Meanwhile, 29 116 people have signed a petition by an online organisation, change.org, calling for justice to prevail in Menwe’s case.