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A member of the “26s” gang was described in court as “trigger happy and bloodthirsty” before receiving a hefty sentence for the murder of a police officer in the Eastern Cape.
Twenty-six-year-old Andile Nyoka murdered police officer Mario Angelique Nel, 42, with his own firearm and then proceeded to take hostages before a shootout with police saw him subdued.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali explained that on 3 May 2023, Sergeant Nel was on duty in full uniform when Nyoka attacked him from behind, grabbing his service pistol.
A struggle ensued, resulting in Sergeant Nel being shot in the head. Nyoka fled with the firearm.
He then hijacked a Toyota Quantum taxi on Sisulu Street, NU29, Motherwell, at approximately 10.20am.
He threatened the driver, demanding to be taken to Korsten while holding two female taxi passengers hostage.
The taxi driver complied, driving down Sisulu Street until he spotted a police van.
“Fearing for his life, the driver jumped out and ran to the police van for assistance,” Tyali said.
“The taxi, still in motion, collided with an electric pole. Nyoka then leaned out of the window and opened fire on the two police officers and the taxi driver. The officers returned fire, injuring Nyoka.”
Once subdued, authorities discovered the firearm used in the crime was in his possession, and he was then taken to Livingstone Hospital for medical treatment.
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“In a heart-wrenching victim impact statement, the wife of the late Sergeant Nel expressed her deep pain and sorrow.
“She revealed that she attended every court hearing, from the Motherwell Court to the High Court, seeking closure and accountability. Throughout the ordeal, she noted that Nyoka never seized the opportunity to apologise to her and her family for his crime.
“Instead, he displayed a disturbing lack of remorse, treating the murder with disturbing nonchalance, as if it was a lottery win.”
Advocate Dail Andrews pushed for a severe sentence, emphasising the brutality of the crime and its profound impact on the community.
He argued that the murder of Sergeant Nel was not only heinous but also a direct attack on society, undermining trust in law enforcement and citizen safety.
Andrews leveraged forensic and ballistic evidence, along with testimony from 22 state witnesses, to build a strong case against Nyoka, who pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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However, Judge Fungile Dotwan described Nyoka as “Trigger-happy and bloodthirsty”.
The accused was found guilty on 10 charges, including murder, kidnapping, attempted murder, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The court ordered that he serve at least 30 years of the life sentence, with the additional 67 years to be served consecutively.
Counts 9 to 11 will run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of 82 years imprisonment.
“This sentence underscores the value of human life and serves as a powerful reminder that justice will be served,” added Tyali.
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