The second accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, insists that he was assaulted by the police and never confessed to murdering the soccer star. File picture: Oupa Mokoena, Independent Newspapers
A SERGEANT from the National Cold Case unit of the SA Police Service (SAPS), Vusumuzi Mogane, told the attorney representing accused number two in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, not to allow his client to ruin his reputation by defending his lies.
Mogane was under cross-examination in a trial-within-a-trial in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The trial-within-a-trial is being heard to determine if the alleged confessions made by Ntanzi and Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya were taken freely and voluntarily.
Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, who is representing Ntanzi, questioned Mogane on the assault allegations which Ntanzi said he suffered at the hands of the police.
According to Ntanzi’s version, which was relayed in court by Mngomezulu, he was severely assaulted and was subjected to terrible beatings, he was also allegedly electrocuted and suffocated.
He said this was done by police officers in an attempt to get him to confess to Meyiwa’s murder.
Mogane replied: “Ntate Mngomezulu, I think you are very respectable man, and I’ve been saying this, tell your client to tell the truth. Everything that he has told never happened and with you repeating his lies, your reputation will be ruined.”
Mngomezulu told Mogane that whether Ntanzi was telling the truth or not, that will be determined by the court.
Mngomezulu continued and said Ntanzi was assaulted for days on end by different officers, however, Mogane didn’t take part in the assault, instead, he tried to stop them.
“Morena Mngomezulu, if the accused was subjected to such horrible torture for so many days, according to you, do you think he would still be alive?” asked Mogane.
Mngomezulu didn’t respond to Mogane, instead, he continued with the cross-examination.
Mogane denied most parts of Ntanzi’s version of events.
Meyiwa was shot and killed while visiting his singer girlfriend Kelly Khumalo at her home in Vosloorus on October 26, 2014.
The five accused in the Meyiwa murder trial are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa and Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli.
The trial continues