In a rare confession, one of the five men accused of killing former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has claimed that the lead investigator in the case offered him a bribe of R3 million to lie and work with the police.
Bongani Ntanzi, the second accused, made this revelation during his testimony at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
Ntanzi stated that after his arrest on June 16, 2020, he was interrogated by Brigadier Bongani Gininda, who allegedly made the bribe offer.
Ntanzi vehemently denied confessing to the murder and insisted that he was coerced into doing so by the police.
He told the court, “He asked me if I don’t want money… He then asked me don’t I want R3m and I told him I’m fine because I’m not struggling at home.”
The defense lawyer representing Ntanzi, advocate Sipho Ramosepele, questioned the credibility of the confession statement made by Ntanzi on June 24, 2020.
The court is currently conducting a trial-within-a-trial to determine the admissibility of this statement.
Ntanzi’s claim of being assaulted and forced to confess to the murder is supported by another accused, Muzikawkhulelwa Sibiya.
Brigadier Bongani Gininda, however, denied offering any bribe to Ntanzi.
The veracity of Ntanzi’s allegations will be crucial in determining the outcome of the trial.
If proven true, it would not only cast doubt on the investigation but also raise serious questions about the conduct of the police.
