The Brakpan Magistrates’ Court has denied bail to former Special Task Force officer Matipandile Sotheni over the murder of Marius van der Merwe, known as Witness D.
Magistrate Tlakale Sathekge ruled on 1 June 2026 that the state had linked Sotheni sufficiently to the charges. These include conspiracy to commit murder, murder and three counts of attempted murder. The court cited risks to witnesses and the chance Sotheni might flee if convicted.
Van der Merwe was shot dead on 5 December 2025 outside his Brakpan home. An AK-47 rifle recovered from a vehicle linked to Sotheni was presented as the murder weapon. The magistrate noted ballistic evidence and questions over how the firearm reached police.
Sotheni, 42, joined the police in 2005 and trained in the Special Task Force. The court rejected his claim that ammunition found at his arrest came from a deceased associate. The case returns to court on 30 July 2026.