CAPE TOWN – Two men have been convicted by the Western Cape High Court for the murder of an police officer and two civilians.
Cebo Soboyise (29) and Zola Golela (38) were found guilty on Friday 27 February, on charges including multiple murders, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition, according to a statement from the Hawks.
Fatal shooting in Delft
The case stems from a shooting in the early hours of 27 November 2019 in Delft South, where off-duty detective Sgt Thanduxolo Wiseman Stuma (43) was gunned down during a robbery. According to a police statement issued the same day, Stuma was walking home at 00:45 when unknown gunmen in a vehicle pulled up next to him, took his cellphone and fired a shot. He died on the scene.
The Elsies River Police Station detective had joined the police service in January 2006 and was described by his station commander, Brigadier Sandile Sonjani, as “a quiet, humble and disciplined police official.”
Evidence links suspects to other murders
According to the police statement, Flying Squad members arrested two suspects found with Sgt Stuma’s cellphone, 16 other cellphones and items taken from a business robbery in Bellville that happened later the same morning Stuma was killed.
The Hawks mentioned the arrest happened in Mfuleni and that one suspect fled the scene and remains at large.
During the arrest, police also recovered two firearms. While one firearm was licensed, the other was found to be prohibited.
The Hawks’ National Priority Violent Crime unit took over the investigation and linked the two accused to the murders of two additional civilian victims.
Court proceedings
The trial began at the High Court held at Pollsmoor Prison on 13 November last year and concluded on 27 January. Both accused were found guilty on all charges when judgment was delivered on Friday.
The matter has been postponed to 20 and 24 March for sentencing proceedings, where the court will determine the punishment for the convicted murderers.
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