Two Former Police Officers Convicted Of Nathaniel Julies’ Murder

Two former South African Police Service (SAPS) officers have been found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Nathaniel Julies, who was fatally shot in Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg, during the COVID-19 lockdown in August 2020.

The Palm Ridge High Court delivered its verdict on Friday, 23 October 2026, convicting former Constable Caylene Whiteboy and former Sergeant Simon “Scorpion” Ndyalvane of murder. The case has attracted national attention because of the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death and allegations that evidence was manipulated in an attempt to conceal what happened.

Whiteboy was found to have fired the fatal shot. She was also convicted of defeating the ends of justice. Ndyalvane was convicted of murder, unlawful possession of ammunition, defeating the ends of justice and perjury.

A third former police officer, Detective Voster Netshiongolo, was convicted of unlawful possession of ammunition and perjury. However, he was acquitted of the charge of being an accessory after the fact to murder after the state failed to prove that charge beyond reasonable doubt.

Nathaniel Julies was shot while returning from a tuck shop

Julies was killed on the evening of Wednesday, 26 August 2020, in Eldorado Park. The 16-year-old had Down syndrome and was non-verbal.

On the night of the incident, he had left home to buy biscuits from a nearby tuck shop. He was returning to his home when he encountered police officers in the area.

The officers reportedly questioned the teenager, but his condition affected his ability to respond to them. The encounter ended with Julies being shot with a shotgun loaded with birdshot ammunition.

The force of the shot caused him to collapse beneath a nearby vehicle. He sustained fatal injuries.

Instead of remaining at the scene while the circumstances were established, the officers placed Julies in a police vehicle and transported him to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto.

He was declared dead on arrival.

The teenager still had the packet of biscuits in his pocket, a detail that became closely associated with the case and the ordinary errand he had been carrying out before his death.

Investigation uncovered allegations of a cover-up

The circumstances surrounding the shooting became a major focus of the criminal investigation.

The officers’ initial version of events involved an alleged exchange of gunfire with unidentified suspects. However, evidence presented during the proceedings challenged that account and raised questions about what had happened before and after Julies was shot.

The state alleged that efforts were made to conceal the circumstances of the shooting and create a misleading account of the incident. Evidence presented in court included allegations concerning the handling of ammunition and attempts to manipulate evidence at the scene.

The charges of defeating the ends of justice and perjury reflected the state’s case concerning the alleged concealment of evidence and false accounts surrounding the teenager’s death.

The court’s convictions on these charges established criminal liability against Whiteboy and Ndyalvane for defeating the ends of justice, and against Ndyalvane and Netshiongolo for perjury. Netshiongolo was also convicted of unlawful possession of ammunition.

However, the court acquitted Netshiongolo of being an accessory after the fact to murder, finding that the state had not proved that charge beyond reasonable doubt.

The distinction is important because the three accused did not face identical outcomes, and not every allegation against them resulted in a conviction.

Court finds murder was not proved to be planned

Although Whiteboy and Ndyalvane were convicted of murder, the court found that the state had not established that the killing was planned.

The murder convictions nevertheless establish that both former officers were criminally responsible for the offence as determined by the court.

Whiteboy’s conviction is particularly significant because the court found that she fired the fatal shot. Ndyalvane was also convicted of murder, alongside the additional offences of unlawful possession of ammunition, defeating the ends of justice and perjury.

The verdict follows years of legal proceedings, during which witnesses gave evidence about the shooting, the actions of the officers and the events that followed.

The trial began in 2021, with the three accused pleading not guilty to the charges against them. Evidence presented over the course of the proceedings included testimony from police witnesses and other individuals connected to the investigation.

The case placed the conduct of the officers under scrutiny, particularly the circumstances in which prohibited ammunition was used and the allegations that the shooting was subsequently misrepresented.

Three former officers faced prosecution

Whiteboy, Ndyalvane and Netshiongolo were all prosecuted in connection with the case, but the court’s verdicts differed according to the charges proved against each accused.

Whiteboy was convicted of murder and defeating the ends of justice.

Ndyalvane was convicted of murder, unlawful possession of ammunition, defeating the ends of justice and perjury.

Netshiongolo was convicted of unlawful possession of ammunition and perjury but acquitted of being an accessory after the fact to murder.

The convictions bring a significant stage of the criminal proceedings to a close, although the matter must still proceed to sentencing.

The three former officers remain out on bail pending the next stage of the case.

Death sparked protests in Eldorado Park

Julies’ killing sparked protests in Eldorado Park and widespread public anger over police conduct and accountability.

His death drew particular concern because he was a vulnerable teenager who had Down syndrome and was non-verbal. He had been carrying out a routine errand to buy biscuits when he encountered the officers.

The case also raised broader questions about the use of force by police officers, compliance with firearm and ammunition rules, the preservation of crime-scene evidence and the obligation of law enforcement officials to provide truthful accounts of incidents.

The subsequent prosecution and convictions have kept the case in the public eye, with the legal proceedings examining not only the fatal shooting but also the conduct alleged to have followed it.

Sentencing proceedings scheduled for November

Following Friday’s verdict, the matter was postponed to 11 November 2026 for pre-sentencing proceedings.

The court will consider the sentencing stage after the convictions. No sentence had been imposed at the time of the verdict.

The convictions mark a major development in the case of Nathaniel Julies, who was killed more than six years ago. Whiteboy and Ndyalvane have been convicted of his murder, while Netshiongolo has been convicted of separate offences relating to ammunition and perjury.

The next court appearance is expected to address the proceedings leading to sentencing.