Algoa Fm
The only surviving suspect from the botched Le Bon Bakery armed robbery in Central in 2019, has been found guilty of the murder of Gqeberha Flying Squad member, Dwane Kemp.
The city's High Court also found Sibusiso Mchunu guilty of the murder of his own four accomplices who died when Constable Kemp's partner Sergeant Musa Hans returned fire.
The 26-year-old was also found guilty in the City's High Court on Monday of two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and the attempted murder of Sergeant Hans.
Hans was granted indemnity from prosecution as Judge Jannie Eksteen said that his evidence, as a section 204 witness, was truthful and credible.
While Hans was not present in court on Monday, during his testimony last year he described Kemp as his best friend who was like a brother to him.
Judge Jannie Eksteen said Mchunu did not make a good impression in the witness box and the alibi he provided to the court was "reasonably and possibly" not true.
Judge Eksteen said that although Mchunu had changed his appearance, the man wearing all black in the CCTV footage presented as evidence in court was clearly the 26-year-old.
His defence attorney, Zolile Ngqeza had argued that his client wasn't at the bakery at the time of the incident, but he was with his father in the Central area to look for his cousin.
Mchunu was acquitted on two counts of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Judge Jannie Eksteen said that Mchunu was not seen in the CCTV footage holding a firearm so the State failed to prove his guilt.
Constable Kemp's widow Candice, who was pregnant at the time of the incident in October 2019, told the media afterward that the Judge made the right decision - as this is all Mchunu knows - and she fears he would do it again if released from prison.
She said that she and the Kemp family could start putting this painful ordeal behind them.
Candice said, however, that her inlaws were still really battling to come to terms with the loss of their son.
"The father and mother are still battling, big time. My father-in-law has aged about 10 years. My mother-in-law as well got very ill. So, they are still battling but the rest of the family seems to be okay," she said.
She said that her daughter was still in therapy and her four-year-old knows exactly what happened to his dad.
"My son, he'll be 4 in April, and he knows exactly what happened to his dad, to the point that he believes that his dad is up by God, the heaven, angels, and the moon and the stars," Candice added.
Candice says while she will never forget Kemp as he was her best friend but she can now finally put this incident behind her and hopefully start a new life for herself.
Sentencing proceedings have been set down for the 24th of July and Mchunu remains in custody.
