In a landmark ruling, Denzil October, a known gangster, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of Constable Ashwin Pedro, a Grassy Park police officer. The sentencing took place in the Khayelitsha Priority Crimes Court in Cape Town.
October, 44, was also convicted for the attempted murder of another police officer, as well as illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. He entered into a plea and sentencing agreement with the State.
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The tragic incident occurred in December 2022 when Pedro and his colleague were on patrol in Parkwood. October shot and killed Constable Pedro, and also attempted to murder Constable Theodore Henry. In addition, he was found guilty of robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition.
The Western Cape spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila, stated that October’s total sentencing amounts to 60 years. However, the court ordered all the sentences to run concurrently with the sentence imposed for the murder charge. Ntabazalila also mentioned that the court declared October unfit to possess a firearm.
The court heard that on the day of the incident, a member of the public provided information to the police officers about a man with blonde hair, wearing an orange t-shirt and blue pants, who was carrying a firearm. The officers spotted the suspect walking on Blackbird Avenue in Parkwood and approached him.
Constable Pedro ordered the suspect, October, to raise his hands, but October pulled out a firearm. Constable Henry joined Pedro and attempted to restrain October, but he resisted and forcefully grabbed Constable Henry’s firearm, detaching it from the safety retention cord.
October then started running away, with the officers in pursuit. He began shooting at the police officers, injuring Constable Pedro. He was later apprehended at his Ravensmead home, where police recovered Constable Henry’s firearm with an empty magazine in a wendy house in the back of the main house.
According to Ntabazalila, October has a history of criminal convictions, including robbery, assault, housebreaking, attempted murder, and illegal possession of a firearm.
During the court proceedings, State Prosecutor Advocate Luzaan Williams emphasized the alarming trend of attacks on law enforcement officials, particularly in the Western Cape and the country as a whole. She highlighted that the robbery and murder were committed while the officers were on duty, conducting crime prevention patrols.
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The devastating impact of Constable Pedro’s death on his family and colleagues was also acknowledged. In honour of his service, his colleagues unveiled a mural in his memory.
Advocate Nicolette Bell, the Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, welcomed the sentence and paid tribute to Constable Pedro, who bravely fought for the safety of the community he served.
