Accused 1, Muzi Sibiya, looked relieved like something had been taken off his shoulders after he made a confession statement to Colonel Mhlanganyelwa Mbotho at the Diepkloof Police Station just over 10 hours following his arrest. This is according to Lead Investigator in former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa’s murder case, Brigadier Bongani Gininda.
“You know when something has been taken off your shoulders,” says Gininda on his observation of the accused following the taking down of his confession statement.
“He actually looked better than he did before he went there,” he adds.
Gininda began his much-anticipated testimony on Monday and has on Tuesday morning continued to testify on how he’d arranged Colonel Mbotho to take down the statement, how he’d arranged Constable Nakedi Monareng from the EMPD to transport the accused from Aeroton to Diepkloof and back, as well as the taking down Sibiya’s traditional healer’s statement.
The day after Sibiya’s arrest and confession, Gininda says the suspect was willing to point out Lion Zwane as his traditional healer.
“I then requested the members to take Mr Zwane to Germiston to Colonel Mohlame for his statement to be taken down and that they should take him home thereafter. Indeed the statement was taken down and it was also brought to me. Sibiya was then taken to Valleria Police Station,” says Gininda.
There was drama once again in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial on Tuesday morning. Firstly, when proceedings delayed apparently because accused 3 and 5, Mthobisi Mncube and Fisokuhle Ntuli earlier refused to come to court for reasons not stated in court. Secondly, when the accused complained about the treatment from the prison officials when they eventually arrived in court.
After the arrival of the accused, Advocate George Baloyi told the court that there was an issue with accused 3 and 5.
Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu told the court that his client, Ntanzi, has raised with how he was handled by one of the officer, Deon Mulaudzi.
“Accused 2 raises complaints about Mulaudzi. This morning he handcuffed his hands and when the accused told him that he could not do that because he was not a sentenced prisoner and that he was a mere awaiting trialist, he says Mulaudzi said that was because he was fighting in court,” explains Mngomezulu, telling the court there should be a difference in how a sentenced prisoner and an awaiting trialist are handled.
Mngomezulu says Ntanzi also made a request to have Mulaudzi replaced by another officer.
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has told Ntanzi’s legal counsel that he did not have the authority to make such a ruling.
But that was not the end of the delay to the start to the proceedings as accused 3 and 5 had their hands up.
They both complained about the manner in which they had their hands handcuffed while they were sitting in the dock, with accused 2, Mthobisi Mncube rising to personally address the court.
Mncube: I can’t hear very well when I am handcuffed like this sitting here.
Judge: So you hear with you hands?
Mncube: Even though I don’t hear with my hands, I don’t feel well sitting here and handcuffed like this.
The judge told Mncube’s legal counsel, Advocate Charles Mnisi that he could not make an order since he was not aware of what safety measures had been put in place following the scuffled that broke out in court between the accused and one of the prison wardens, Vusi Jele on Monday.
Mokgoatlheng advised Mncube to take it up with his legal counsel who must take it up with the relevant authorities.
The trial continues.