The man accused of fatally shooting popular media personality Warrick “DJ Warras” Stock has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after admitting his role in the killing.
Mozambican national Armindo Joaquim Pacula, 25, entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the State, admitting that he carried out the shooting. He pleaded guilty to murder and charges relating to the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Pacula’s sentence brings a major development in a case that shocked South Africa’s entertainment industry and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Stock’s death.
DJ Warras, whose real name was Warrick Stock, was shot and killed on 16 December 2025 in Johannesburg’s central business district. He was attacked outside the Zambesi Building while carrying out work connected to security at the property. Investigators later treated the killing as a targeted assassination.
The investigation led to the arrest of Pacula, who prosecutors identified as the alleged gunman, as well as Victor Mthethowakhe Majola, 44, who was accused of being involved in organising the killing.
Pacula was arrested during a Crime Intelligence-led operation in the Marathon informal settlement in Primrose, Ekurhuleni, in January 2026. At the time, he faced charges including murder, conspiracy to commit murder and a contravention of the Immigration Act.
Majola has continued to face the allegations against him separately. The State previously said its investigation included cellphone data, financial records and facial comparison evidence as it prepared the case for trial. By May, prosecutors confirmed that the outstanding investigations had been completed and the matter was transferred towards High Court proceedings.
Stock’s death sent shockwaves through the entertainment and broadcasting industries. Known professionally as DJ Warras, he had built a career as a DJ and media personality before also becoming involved in business and security-related ventures.
His killing was particularly significant because of the circumstances in which it occurred, with investigators looking into possible disputes linked to security operations and the occupation of buildings in Johannesburg’s inner city.
Pacula’s 25-year sentence now marks the first major conclusion in the criminal proceedings arising from Stock’s death, while the case involving Majola remains before the courts.
The sentence is expected to provide some measure of closure to Stock’s family, friends, colleagues and supporters, more than eight months after his death.
