TWO APARTHEID POLICE FOUND GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF CAIPHUS NYOKA
JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY AND DIRECTORATE OF PRIORITY CRIMES INVESTIGATIONS
02 DECEMBER 2025
TWO APARTHEID POLICE FOUND GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF CAIPHUS NYOKA
The Pretoria High Court sitting in Johannesburg High Court has found a former Sergeant, Abraham Hercules Engelbrecht (61), and former Sergeant, Pieter Stander (60), guilty of the premediated murder of Caiphus Nyoka, a student activist and a member of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS). A former commanding officer, Major Leon Louis Van Den Berg (75) was acquitted on the charges.
In the evening of 23 August 1987, the two who were members of the Reaction Unit within the South African Police Service (SAP) met to discuss a plan to kill Nyoka. A plan to raid his home was devised. In the early hours of 24 August 1987 at about 02h30, Stander and Engelbrecht and other members of the Reaction Unit who are also charged separately, arrived at Nyoka’s homestead and stormed his room. They found him sleeping with three of his friends. After identifying him, they removed the friends from the room and thereafter proceeded to shoot him 9 times. He died on the scene as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.
During the trial, the state called 5 witnesses, Caiphus Nyoka's two sisters, Alegria and Mothasi Nyoka, Gugulakhe Exodus Nyokane (one of the three friends Nyoka was with on the night of the incident), an expert witness who was the TRC researcher Dr Rousseau and the Investigating officer of the case, Liutenant Colonel Beukman. After the five witnesses testified, the state closed its case. Thereafter accused 1, who is now acquitted, and accused 2, brought a section 174 application claiming that the state had no case. After the court dismissed their application, all the accused closed their case. When handing down the judgment the court found that the state was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt in respect of Engelbrecht and Stander.
The NPA welcomes the judgment where the two were found guilty. However, the state will study the judgment in respect of the acquittal of Louis Van Den Berg. This court outcome is encouraging as this is a right step towards providing justice for the Nyoka family. The matter was postponed to 11 December 2025 for the bail application, pending sentence of Engelbrecht and Stander. The two are remanded in custody.
Issued by:
Lumka Mahanjana
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Gauteng Division: Pretoria
073 002 0000
AND
Warrant officer: Thatohatsi Mavimbela
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks)
071 481 3473