A man who shot and killed a police officer has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the Western Cape High Court.
Aviwe Ndwanyana, 27, was found guilty of charges of murder, attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of unlicensed ammunition, and pointing of a firearm.
In June 2020, Constable Asanda Siyoko, 30, and her colleagues from the Nyanga Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) were shot at while inspecting a spaza shop that was operating after curfew in New Rest Squatter Camp, Nyanga.
At the time, a curfew to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus was implemented and Level 3 lockdown regulations stated stores could only trade until 6pm.
Siyoko and two colleagues were patrolling along Old Klipfontein Road and Moya Street in Old Crossroads when they noticed that a spaza shop was still open after 10.30pm.
The three officers inspected the store and were ambushed by a gunman who opened fire on them.
All three were shot. Siyoko was hit in the neck, and she later died in hospital due to her injuries.
The case was handed over to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) for probing.
The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi, said Nyanga SAPS members and Crime Intelligence joined the investigation.
“A manhunt and Ndwanyana was subsequently arrested on June 8, 2020. He was remanded in custody until his sentence,” Vukubi said.
The court sentenced Ndwanyana to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years for possession of an unlicensed firearm, five years for possession of unlicensed ammunition, and 18 months for pointing a firearm.
Head of the Hawks in the Western Cape, Major General Mathipa Makgato welcomed the sentencing.
IOL