By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Senzo Meyiwa trial briefly resumed for the continuation of the “trial-within-a-trial” in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Monday.
A new witness was expected to be called, however, the matter was postponed after the defence requested an adjournment to consult.
At the beginning of the proceedings, defence lawyer Sipho Ramosepele introduced new counsel in court as new member of his legal team.
Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu will join attorney Ramosopele as defence counsel for accused number one and two, Muzi Sibiya and Bongani Ntanzi.
Mngomezulu requested that the court grant him a postponement until Tuesday so he could consult with his new clients.
“It is indeed so, my lord. I am ready to proceed as from tomorrow as arranged in relation to the evidence of the magistrate. I humbly ask the court that I need to consult with both accused one and two and request the court to make an order that I be given a few hours to consult with accused one and two.”
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng granted the postponement since the state did not object to the request.
“The court is amenable to the application of a postponement for instructions to Advocate Mngomezulu in respect of accused number one and accused number two. Our Constitution allows a litigant at any stage of the proceedings to augment or fire a legal representative, “the judge said.
Mokgoatlheng also issued an order that retired police officer Mhlanganyelwa Mbotho and Sergeant Nakedi Monareng be recalled back to court.
Last week, the court began hearing a trial-within-a-trial to determine the admissibility of alleged confessions made by Sibiya and Ntanzi.
According to evidence presented before the court, Sibiya and Ntanzi confessed to certain details about Meyiwa’s murder.
Mbotho testified in court last week that Sibiya had confessed to him about Meyiwa’s murder. He also said that Sibiya insisted he did not need a legal representative while giving his confession.
But Mngomezulu has made it clear that he was going to bring an application for the recalling of Mbotho, who has already testified on Friday together with Monareng, on the instruction I received from the accused one.”
Mbotho’s evidence before the court is that Sibiya was arrested in Tembisa on 30 May 2020. He was then taken to the Diepkloof Police Station in Soweto, where he met with Mbotho to draft his confession.
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