Student constable Sipho Mbatha, accused of shooting dead Soweto teenager Thato Mokoka, was found guilty of murder by the High Court in Johannesburg on Friday.
Mbatha had been part of the team of police officers who raided Thato’s room [a shack] at his grandmother’s house in Bramfischerville, Soweto.
Police had been acting on a tip-off that Thato was part of a gang that was terrorising the area and had a firearm.
While other officers searched Thato’s room, Mbatha kept guard over Thato, who was lying on his abdomen outside his room when he was shot. - Sapa