The Jeppestown massacre accused had waited in "ambush" and elected to engage in a "Mexican standoff" against police officers who had gone after them following a robbery at the Honeydew Pick 'n Pay supermarket, Johannesburg High Court judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng said on Monday.

He said this while convicting Nkosinathi Mzamo Mchunu (31), on 19 charges, including murder, attempted murder and aggravated robbery.

"Accused number three (Mchunu) was part of a gang that went to 54 Mordaunt street.

"They knew police were coming but in the furtherance of a common purpose they shot out in order to protect their spoils," Mokgoatlheng said.

Of the 19 charges Mchunu was found guilty of, four relate to the murder of police officers who had been embroiled in a bloody shootout with the robbers in Jeppestown following the June 2006 robbery.

Also found guilty on Monday was Senzo Emmanuel Mweli (26.

Initially, the judge erred and convicted Mweli on the 12 murder charges only to recall his judgment an hour later.

"I made a mistake regarding accused two (Mweli). He was never charged with those counts by the state and I recall the conviction on those counts... but you are convicted on charges of robbery and attempted murder," Mokgoatlheng said.

He said he would revisit counts of possession of firearms and ammunition regarding the two men after handing down judgment against their ten co-accused.

Earlier in his judgement, Mokgoatlheng acquitted the only female accused, Pick 'n Pay employee Dineo Maleke (29), saying there was not enough evidence linking her to the crime.

Maleke was linked through her romantic relationship with Mweli.

During the trial, she said she was no longer involved with Mweli at the time of the robbery and the subsequent shootout.

But Mweli disputed this, maintaining that theirs was a "very hot" relationship.

Judgment was expected to continue on Tuesday.

Sapa