By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The defence in the Senzo Meyiwa trial centred its cross-examination around the rights of one of the men accused of murdering Meyiwa and confessing to it.
The court is hearing evidence on a confession statement signed by Bongani Ntanzi in June 2020 at the Moroka Police Station.
Ntanzi made another confession statement before a magistrate and his lawyer at the Boksburg Magistrates Court over a week later.
The former Sibanye Gold mineworker is one of five men accused of murdering the Bafana Bafana captain nine years ago.
Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, argued that Ntanzi was tortured and beaten into signing an already written confession statement at a dumping site in Orlando, Soweto.
They claimed Ntanzi’s assault was led by the lead cop behind this case, Investigating Officer Bongani Gininda.
On Friday, Wendell Jonathan, a metro police officer in Ekurhuleni, was called to the stand by the state in the High Court in Pretoria on Friday.
At the time of Meyiwa’a death in 2014, Jonathan was then attached to the SWAT team in Ekurhuleni, which has since been disbanded.
Mngomezulu questioned Jonathan about his involvement in the alleged assault of the accused.
“Were you in anyway involved in the tubing of both the accused?” he asked.
“No, my lord, as the only interaction we would have with the accused was during the escorting,” responded Jonathan.
Evidence put before the court has revealed that Jonathan was one of three police officers who escorted Muzi Sibiya and Ntanzi at the time of their confessions.
He also escorted Sibiya to Vosloorus for an apparent “pointing out” of Meyiwa’s murder scene in May 2020.
It’s during the time when the two were escorted that Jonathan and his colleagues assaulted Ntanzi and Sibiya.
The claim has been disputed by Jonathan and earlier witness Mohale Raphadu during his testimony.
Raphadu is one of the police officers who allegedly took down one of Ntanzi’s confessions.
Testifying in court on Friday, Raphadu also stated that Ntanzi made no mention of any assault or coercion.
“It was never reported to me. I even took off his clothes and didn’t see marks on his body,” he said.
Raphadu, who says he examined the suspect’s body for possible injuries, is the third witness to tell the court that Ntanzi was calm, relaxed and a willing participant when he confessed.
The matter will continue on Monday.
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