The second suspect on the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Bongani Ntanzi during his bail application at the high court in Pretoria. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency(ANA)
SENZO Meyiwa murder accused Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi has denied ever being formally charged for a murder in KwaNongoma, KwaZulu-Natal.
Ntanzi, one of five men currently in the dock for the October 2014 murder of Orlando Pirates soccer player, told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria earlier on Monday that it was the first time during the current proceedings that he had heard from State witnesses that he had an earlier murder case against him.
The comment came after State prosecutor Ronnie Sibanda asked him if he recalled being questioned about the Nongoma case.
To which he responded: “I was never questioned about the Nongoma case, I only started hearing it when Sergeant (Vusimuzi) Mogane was testifying here.”
Sibande then asked if he was not in court when Mogane was asked when he first approached him on June 16, 2020 that they were arresting him for the Nongoma case, and placed the case number on the record.
He agreed that he was in court when the officer gave the evidence but continued to stress that he was never charged for Nongoma, but rather for the murder of Meyiwa at the Vosloorus home of his partner Kelly Khumalo.
“I was never arrested for the Nongoma case and first heard it here in court, because even in Rustenburg when my legal aid asked him of my other cases, he responded that I had Nongoma, Vosloorus and possession of ammunition, however I was never charged,” Ntanzi said.
“He told me to my face that I am being arrested for the Vosloorus case, not the Nongoma case. I was told through Mabena as Mogane would instruct him and Nongoma was brought up here only.”
Ntanzi is testifying in the trial-within-a-trial relating to admission of confession statements he and his co-accused Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya made to the police regarding their role in the murder of Meyiwa.
Both men have so far testified that they were assaulted and tortured by the investigating officers to make the admissions.
The cross-examination of Ntanzi was set to continue after the adjournment.
The Star
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