Johannesburg Court Sentences Cop Killers to Multiple Life Terms

Njiki Hlulani Mabuza and Savenore Sihle Ntuli were each sentenced to three life terms plus an additional 59 years by the High Court in Johannesburg for the murders of two police officers and a Community Policing Forum (CPF) member, alongside related crimes including attempted murder, robbery, and possession of unlicensed firearms. The crimes, occurring between July and October 2022, involved targeted ambushes: the CPF member was killed in an informal settlement after being accused of cooperating with police, and the officers were attacked while retrieving a body in Boksburg, where one was shot in a bathroom and the other outside, with the officers' service firearms stolen during the attack. A woman present during the officers' murder sustained two gunshot wounds resulting in permanent abdominal damage. Authorities emphasized that these killings represented a direct assault on the rule of law, public safety, and democracy. The suspects were apprehended following separate arrests related to other violent incidents, including firearm possession and shootings, which led to their capture and conviction. The court underscored the severity and premeditated nature of the crimes, affirming that the sentences reflect justice for the victims and serve as a deterrent to such attacks on law enforcement.