State witness in R18m cocaine case shot dead in Kensington

Christopher Carelse, a state witness in a massive drug trafficking case in the Cape Town Regional Court, was fatally shot outside a property in Kensington, Cape Town on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, police say.

Who was killed and when

According to Eyewitness News (EWN), 37-year-old Christopher Carelse was gunned down outside a premises on 1st Street in Kensington, Cape Town on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The shooting occurred at about 3.50pm.

How the shooting unfolded

Eyewitness News (EWN) reports that a gold vehicle drove past while Carelse was standing outside, then returned a short time later. Two armed suspects emerged from the vehicle and opened fire, shooting Carelse multiple times as he tried to escape. He was declared dead at the scene.

Connection to R18 million cocaine case

Eyewitness News (EWN) says Carelse had turned State witness about two weeks before his death in a massive drug trafficking case in the Cape Town Regional Court involving R18 million cocaine. He and co-accused Raed Cupido were arrested in July 2025 after police seized 15 bricks of cocaine, along with firearms and ammunition, at a storage unit in Roeland Street.

Investigators have described Carelse and Cupido as so-called first receivers for drugs smuggled into Cape Town. Cupido is a co-accused in the matter and his trial is set to resume in the Cape Town Regional Court, Eyewitness News (EWN) reports.

Police response and investigation

Western Cape police have opened an investigation into the killing.

“The motive for this shooting incident forms part of the police investigations. Anyone with information about this fatal shooting incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 100111,”

the Western Cape police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said, quoted by Eyewitness News (EWN).

Ongoing legal proceedings

Eyewitness News (EWN) reports that Cupido’s trial will continue in the Cape Town Regional Court.

Edit log

• “a state witness in a multimillion-rand drug trafficking case” -> “a state witness in a massive drug trafficking case in the Cape Town Regional Court”
• “Wednesday, 17 June 2026” -> “Wednesday, June 17, 2026”
• “3:50pm” -> “about 3.50pm”
• “1st Street in Kensington” -> “1st Street in Kensington, Cape Town”
• “in a case involving an estimated R18 million worth of cocaine” -> “a massive drug trafficking case in the Cape Town Regional Court involving R18 million cocaine”
• Location references updated to read “Kensington, Cape Town” where applicable

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Source: ewn.co.za