A state witness in a major drug trafficking case before the Cape Town Regional Court has been shot dead in what appears to be a targeted killing.
Christopher Carelse, 37, was gunned down in a hail of bullets in Kensington on Wednesday afternoon.
Carelse was previously a co-accused alongside former Standard Bank manager Raed Cupido, widely dubbed the “cocaine banker”, in a high-profile drug bust that stunned Cape Town last year.
Massive drug and firearm haul
Cupido was arrested in June last year during an intelligence-driven operation at a storage facility in Roeland Street in the Cape Town CBD.
Police uncovered 15 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of R18 million. Officers also seized an arsenal of illegal firearms, including a Uzi submachine gun, an AK-47 rifle, five 9mm pistols and multiple rounds of ammunition.
Carelse was arrested a month later in connection with the case.
Just two weeks ago, he reportedly turned state witness against his former co-accused.
Cupido remains behind bars at Pollsmoor Prison and is expected to return to court in August.
Ambushed in broad daylight
The fatal shooting occurred at about 3.50pm on Wednesday in 1st Street, Kensington.
Residents reported hearing between five and six gunshots.
According to bystanders, Carelse was visiting a premises in the area when two gunmen allegedly ambushed him.
A witness at the scene said:
“The victim is from the area. There is a high-profile case he is involved in. They call it the Standard Bank manager drug bust case. He was one of the co-accused. He goes by the name Chris.”
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk confirmed the incident.
“Kensington police attended to a shooting incident on Wednesday, June 17 at about 3.50pm at a premises in 1st Street, Kensington, in which a 37-year-old male was shot and fatally wounded,” said Van Wyk.
“According to reports, the victim was outside the mentioned address when a gold-coloured vehicle drove past.
“The same vehicle later returned to the mentioned address, and two unidentified males alighted from the vehicle, positively armed with firearms.
“The victim ran into the premises, and the suspects followed him while shooting at him. He was shot multiple times and was later declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel.”
Motive under investigation
Police have not confirmed a motive for the killing but said the matter forms part of an ongoing investigation.
The brazen daylight attack has raised serious concerns, particularly given Carelse’s recent decision to turn state witness in a significant organised crime case.
Authorities have urged anyone with information related to the shooting to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
As investigations continue, the killing adds another dramatic twist to a case already involving large-scale drug trafficking, illegal firearms and high-profile arrests.
