DJ Warras murder trial scheduled for next year

The trial of two people accused of murdering popular DJ and television personality Warrick Stock, popularly known as DJ Warras, has been scheduled to begin in the Johannesburg High Court on February 22 next year.

The accused, Hlengiwe Goodness Buthelezi (40) and Victor Mthethwa Majola (44), appeared in court on Monday, November 2, where pre-trial proceedings were concluded.

In a statement issued on Monday, the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Gauteng spokesperson, Magaboke Mohlatlole, said both accused had secured legal representation and the matter had been postponed for trial.

They face charges of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder following Stock's fatal shooting outside the Zambesi Building in Johannesburg's CBD on December 16, 2025.

Majola was arrested on December 22, 2025, at a hostel in Soweto alongside a woman who was initially arrested in connection with the murder. However, the charges against the woman were later withdrawn due to insufficient evidence.

Majola, who is alleged to have orchestrated the killing, was subsequently denied bail by the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on January 26, 2026. The court cited concerns that he could intimidate witnesses and was a flight risk.

Buthelezi was arrested separately in KwaZulu-Natal on September 10, 2026, after police obtained a warrant for her arrest.

She was tracked down to a homestead in the Ngcengeni area of Msinga after police received information about her whereabouts. Detectives and members of the visible policing unit arrested her during an operation.

She is alleged to have been involved in the planning of the killing alongside Majola.

A third accused, Armando Joaquim Pacula, a 25-year-old Mozambican national, has already been convicted and sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment.

Pacula was arrested on January 31, 2026, during a crime intelligence-led operation at the Marathon informal settlement in Primrose, Ekurhuleni.

He later entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the State in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act, resulting in his conviction and 25-year prison sentence.

The NPA said it was ready to proceed with the prosecution against Buthelezi and Majola and remained committed to bringing the matter to finality through the criminal justice process.