KEY POINTS
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The firearm used to kill five-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane during a May 2023 hijacking was stolen from a police officer, with forensic evidence linking the weapon to the crime.
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The accused allegedly sold the hijacked Toyota Hilux bakkie for R30,000 and face charges of murder, robbery, and illegal firearm possession amid ongoing bail proceedings.
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The tragedy has spurred calls for improved police firearm accountability, as national data reveals thousands of lost or stolen state weapons in recent years.
The gun used in the tragic killing of five-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane during a hijacking in Soshanguve has been confirmed as a weapon stolen from a police officer, shedding light on the disturbing criminal misuse of state-issued arms.
According to Sowetanlive, this revelation emerged in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, during the bail application hearing of Elia Maeko—one of the three men accused of murdering the young boy.
Sergeant Sevhasa Mashudu, the lead investigating officer, testified under oath, linking the murder weapon directly to a police gun that had been stolen months earlier.
“The police officer reported the firearm stolen in December 2023 at the Soshanguve police station,” Mashudu stated. “We took both the bullet cartridge found at the crime scene and a fragment recovered from Junior’s wound to forensics, and both matched the stolen weapon.”
Accused allegedly sold hijacked vehicle for R30,000 following child’s killing with the stolen gun
The incident took place in May 2024, when Junior, as he was affectionately known, ran out of his Soshanguve home to greet his father returning from work. In a horrifying twist, the child was caught in the crossfire during a hijacking in which his father’s Toyota Hilux GD6 bakkie was taken.
He was fatally shot in the upper body, and despite the best efforts of emergency responders, he was declared dead on the scene.
Three men—Maeko, Ali Sithole, and Nido Gumbo—were arrested within days of the murder. According to investigators, they were found in possession of the stolen firearm during their arrest. They allegedly sold the hijacked vehicle shortly afterward for just R30,000, a fraction of its estimated R600,000 value.
The murder of Ditebogo Junior shocked the nation, drawing widespread condemnation and reigniting debate about police firearm security, the prevalence of hijackings in South Africa, and the impact of violent crime on innocent lives. Human rights groups and local community leaders have called for a comprehensive audit of police weapon security protocols.
In a public statement issued last month, the South African Police Service (SAPS) acknowledged that the gun used in the child’s murder was indeed one of theirs and reiterated their commitment to preventing further weapon losses. “We are deeply saddened that a state-issued firearm may have been used in this heinous act,” SAPS spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said. “A full internal investigation is underway to determine how the gun was lost and whether negligence was involved.”
The bail application for Maeko is ongoing, while the broader case against all three suspects is expected to proceed to trial later this year. The Phalane family, still mourning their son, have continued to attend every court appearance, demanding justice and accountability.
“Our child’s life was priceless,” said a family spokesperson outside court. “No parent should have to bury their child because of criminals who have no regard for life.”
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that it will oppose bail for all the accused, citing the severity of the crime and the strong forensic evidence against them. The case continues to draw national attention, with many calling for stronger protections for families in vulnerable communities.
