In the early hours of August 24 1987, about 2.30am, Lumka Mahanjana of the National Prosecuting Authority recalled in the Pretoria high courtr, 'Johan Marais, together with Sgt Pieter Stander, Sgt Abram Hercules Engelbrecht and other members of the reaction unit who are also charged separately, arrived at Caiphus Nyoka's homestead and stormed his room. They found him with three of his friends sleeping. After identifying him, they removed the friends from the room and thereafter proceeded to shoot him nine times. He died on the scene'. Police claimed at a 1988/89 inquest that Nyoka had had a concealed knife, but Marais now admits that was a lie. In July 2025, former officer Johan Marais was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to the murder. The trial of his co-accused is ongoing.