Victor Mthethwa Majola has been formally charged with the premeditated murder of media personality Warrick “DJ Warras” Stock, a day after the popular broadcaster was laid to rest at a nationally broadcast funeral service in Johannesburg.
Majola made his first appearance in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where the state placed on record that it is charging him with premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Prosecutors told the court they will oppose any bid for his release on bail.
The matter has been enrolled as a schedule 6 offence, which carries the possibility of a life sentence if he is convicted.
The magistrate postponed the case to 6 January 2026 to allow for verification of Majola’s residential address, after which a date will be set for a formal bail application. Until then, he will remain in custody.
Arriving in the dock limping and initially covering his face with a hoodie and scarf, Majola was ordered to remove the garments before proceedings could continue.
His lawyer, Dumisani Mabunda, told the court that his client intends to apply for bail and has no previous convictions, no pending cases and no outstanding warrants.
Mabunda also alleged that Majola was assaulted after his arrest. He said his client “was assaulted by the police and suffered serious injuries on his body and hands” and requested that the court note the complaint while he seeks medical attention for him in custody.
Police have not yet publicly responded to the assault claim.
Majola is one of two men who were arrested following a pre-dawn police operation at Morafe Hostel in Soweto on Monday, 22 December.
Gauteng police said both men were initially charged with murder, but charges against the second suspect have since been provisionally withdrawn pending further investigation.
Stock, 40, was shot dead on 16 December outside a building near the Carlton Centre, also identified as Zambezi House, in Johannesburg’s central business district.
Police believe three men approached him before opening fire and fleeing the scene on foot. The incident is being probed in the context of his work in the private security sector, where his company, Imperium Ops International, had been contracted to provide services at inner-city buildings.
The killing triggered an intensive manhunt and drew widespread public attention. Stock was buried on Tuesday at a funeral service at Rosebank Catholic Church attended by family, colleagues and friends, and carried live by several broadcasters and online platforms.
Police have indicated that they are still searching for at least one additional suspect and are analysing CCTV footage that appears to show three individuals approaching Stock shortly before the shooting.
Investigators are also examining whether threats he reportedly received in the weeks before his death are linked to the attack.
For now, Victor Mthethwa Majola remains behind bars while prosecutors prepare to oppose bail in the new year. The case is expected to move to a higher court once the investigation is complete and a final indictment has been prepared
