A man who shot and murdered a police officer has been sentenced to life in prison by the Western Cape High Court.
Aviwe Ndwanyana, 27, was convicted of murder, attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, unlicensed ammunition, and pointing a firearm.
Constable Asanda Siyoko, 30, and her colleagues from the Nyanga Crime Prevention Unit (CPU), were shot in June 2020 while investigating a spaza business that was open after curfew in Nyanga’s New Rest Squatter Camp.
A curfew was imposed at the time to combat the spread of the Covid-19 virus, and stores could only trade until 6 p.m. under Level 3 lockdown conditions.
Siyoko and two colleagues were patrolling Old Klipfontein Road and Moya Street in Old Crossroads when they saw a spaza store that remained open until 10.30 p.m.
A gunman ambushed the three cops as they investigated the establishment, opening fire on them.
All three were shot. Siyoko was struck in the neck and eventually died in the hospital from her injuries.
The case was turned over to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) for investigation.
Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi, the Hawks’ province spokesperson, confirmed that Nyanga SAPS personnel and Crime Intelligence had joined the probe.
“On June 8, 2020, a manhunt was conducted, and Ndwanyana was apprehended. “He was remanded in custody until his sentence,” Vukubi stated.
The court sentenced Ndwanyana to life in prison for murder, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years for possession of an illegal 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 hailed the sentencing.
