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- Four of the five defendants have denied their involvement in the murder of former Bafana goalkeeper Bafana Senzo Meyiwa.
- They told the court that they were being used as scapegoats while the “real” culprits were out there.
- They are from KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Northwest.
The proceedings at the Boksburg Magistrates Court were an event to be seen on Tuesday morning when five men appeared for their alleged role in the murder of former Bafana goalkeeper Bafana Senzo Meyiwa.
With limited space in the courtroom, reporters and AfriForum’s private prosecution unit had to find ways to sit down during the proceedings, while also maintaining physical distance to slow the spread of Covid-19.
Pregnancy S’Tembu Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa and Sifokuhle Sifiso Nkani Ntuli appeared before Judge Hans Havenga.
Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi.
Sung Schatz, News24
But a sudden turn of events took the court by surprise when four of them, Sibiya, Mncube, Maphisa and Ntuli, turned up without legal representation and claimed they did not need it because they were wrongly implicated.
Sifokuhle Sifiso Nkani Ntuli (center).
Sung Schatz, News24
The defendants said they were involved because they “had no money”, while those “with money” were on the loose.
READ | Senzo Meyiwa: Leaked Document Reveals Kelly Khumalo Cell Phone Records Must Be Obtained In Investigation
They also alleged that it was not true that they were arrested on Monday and that they had been in custody.
Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that the five men were arrested between 08:00 and 10:00 on Monday.
According to the prosecution, all of the accused are South African citizens.
Sibiya, 34, and Ntanzi are respectively from Tembisa in Gauteng and Rustenburg in the northwest, while their co-defendants – Mncube, 36, Maphisa, 35, Ntuli, 34 – are from KwaZulu-Natal.
Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi.
Sung Schatz, News24
They face five charges including murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, violation of Section 3 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 (possession of a firearm), and violation of Section 90 of the Firearms Control Law 60 of 2000 (possession of firearms). ammunition).
Congratulations Ziphozonke Maphisa.
Sing honey, News24
The court heard that the defendants faced a crime of classification six.
According to the indictment, the defendants face one charge that they allegedly unlawfully and intentionally killed Meyiwa, 30, on October 26, 2014 in Vosloorus and attempted to kill Kelly Khumalo’s sister, Zandile Lorraine, who was allegedly shot.
At the time of the incident, Meyiwa was also in the presence of Khumalo’s mother Gladness, Longwe Thwala, who was Zandile’s boyfriend, Meyiwa’s friend Tumelo Madlala, as well as Mthokozisi Thwala.
The indictment also establishes that the third charge is for the assault on Khumalo, whose cell phone, a Samsung S4, was taken from him at gunpoint.
Charges four and five are for the possession and use of a firearm, a C7 model 75 9mm parabellum pistol whose serial number was on file, without a license.
The summary of the substantial facts says that while Meyiwa was at Khumalo’s home that day, two people broke in around 8:00 p.m. with a gun and a knife and demanded money and cell phones from the victims.
A fight broke out between Meyiwa and the person with the firearm and the footballer was shot in the chest. The shooter is alleged to have had dreadlocks, a gold tooth and was wearing a khaki coat. One of the day’s shots hit Zandile in the right ankle.
EXCLUSIVE | Police find Senzo Meyiwa’s murder weapon
The suspects fled after taking Khumalo’s cell phone.
They dropped a hat on the premises as they fled.
Meyiwa was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Botshelong health center.
The State alleges that the accused acted for common cause.
Addressing the accusations by the defendants that they were not arrested on Monday, National Tax Authority (NPA) spokesman Sipho Ngwema said the reality was that they were all in custody.
READ ALSO | Meyiwa’s family hopeful after arrests: ‘We have been waiting for this day for 6 years’
He said the arrest warrants were only obtained last week and that the police executed them.
“Perhaps there is a difference of understanding in terms of the technicalities involved because they were in custody, [thought] they were arrested [sic].
“They were not detained for this particular matter and that is why they had to be transferred from the prisons where they were held because there were arrest warrants that were executed so that they could appear for this murder case here this morning,” Ngwema added.
He said the investigation was rigorous and there was no chance of unfair arrests, adding that they were confident that the defendants were the correct ones at this time, while no further arrests were ruled out.
Ngwema added:
We still have a long way to go. When the [DPP] He made the decision on Wednesday because there was enough evidence to charge these five, there was a series of instructions that he had issued so that we can make sure that when we present the final indictment everything [would] have been conducted and follow-up investigations …
Meanwhile, Meyiwa’s brother Sifiso only had a few words to express himself after the court proceedings, saying it was only the beginning.
“When they [the accused] They say they don’t know anything, obviously when they arrest you for a crime, you deny it. The investigations will continue. But I’m happy that they arrested people. The fact that the police take them to court means that they have done their investigation and I don’t think they would have taken them without any evidence. ”
READ | ‘I’ll be satisfied when the mastermind is arrested,’ Senzo Meyiwa’s brother says as Afriforum insists it was a success
He thanked the dozens of supporters who had gone to court, asking that the accused remain in jail.
The five men will be held in various prisons and in police custody.
They will appear again at the Boksburg Magistrates Court on November 27 to allow the state to file a final brief for the case to be transferred to the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
* Please note: the faces of the police and court officials have been distorted as per the court’s instructions.
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