Mido Macia accused convicted of murder
"The accused must rise now. Accused from number one to eight, you are convicted of murder. You may sit down again," Judge Bert Bam ruled after reading out his analysis of the lengthy evidence presented during the trial.
"The accused, [are] from now on, in custody."
He adjourned the court to allow the former police officers' lawyers to get instructions from their clients on whether they are ready to proceed with the sentencing procedures on Tuesday.
The eight killers - Bongamusa Mdluli, Meshack Malele, Thamsanqa Ngema, Percy Mnisi, Sipho Ngobeni, Lungisa Gwababa, Bongani Kolisi and Linda Sololo - appeared dejected as they walked to the police holding cells located underneath the court.
Sighs of relief were heard from members of Macia's family, who were present in court.
Earlier this month, a ninth former police officer, initially charged with the group, was acquitted by the court. Matome Ramatlou walked out of the court a free man after Bam told him that there was no evidence linking him to the murder.
A previous key State witness, police officer Mpumzi Ngamlana, told the court that he had erred when he implicated Ramatlou.
Macia was approached by members of the police during February 2013, after he illegally parked his taxi and caused a traffic jam. An altercation between him and the police ensued. The officers arrested him, and tried to place him in the back of a police van.
According to the accused, one of Macia's handcuffs became entangled to the leg of a bench in the back of the van when he fell out of the van. They claimed he was dragged along the streets in Daveyton to the local police station by mistake.
However, the State argued that the accused were well aware of the fact he was being dragged behind the van.
Macia was later found dead in the Daveyton police station's holding cells.
The incident, which was captured on a cellphone video and widely distributed via social media, made international headlines and sparked several protests against police brutality. - ANA