Senzo Meyiwa trial: Ntanzi wanted to testify against his co-accused
A witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has testified that accused 2 Bongani Ntanzi wanted to testify against his co-accused.
A witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has testified that accused 2 Bongani Ntanzi wanted to get into a plea bargain and testify against the four accused.
This was revealed by lead investigator Brigadier Bongani Gininda when he testified at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria when the matter resumed on Monday, 22 January after a two-month recess. .
LATEST ON THE SENZO MEYIWA MURDER TRIAL
As previously reported by The South African, five men are on trial in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria for the murder of Senzo Meyiwa who was shot at the home of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus on 26 October 2014. Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli face a litany of charges. All five men pleaded not guilty.
On Monday, as per his affidavit that he used to apply for warrants of arrests, Gininda revealed the role each of the accused played in the planning and execution of the Orlando Pirates goalkeeper.
Gininda told the court that evidence under oath indicates that the murder of the Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was a contractual assassination or hit and not a robbery gone wrong.
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In 2023, State witness and police officer Constable Sizwe Zungu was the first witness who linked all the five accused to the murder of Meyiwa saying that they were all together at a hostel in Vosloorus.
Zungu told the court that the accused disappeared for a while and rushed into the hostel when they came back following one another and they were carrying firearms which he could tell had been fired. He further said that he saw Ntanzi changing a hoodie he worn while they had disappeared.
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BONGANI NTANZI WAS WILLING TO TESTIFY AGAINST HIS CO-ACCUSED
Defence lawyer for accused 1 and 2 Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu argued that the warrants of arrest for his clients were irregular.
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In response, Gininda read an affidavit he had filed for the warrants of arrests for accused 1 and 2 where he mentioned that Ntanzi wanted to get into a bargaining plea and testify against the other four accused.
Gininda said the State and the accused engaged while he was legally represented and they (accused 2 and his lawyer) firmly said they stand by the two confessions Ntanzi allegedly made.
“Apart from admitting the two confessions, he went further in proposing a plea bargaining in that he will plead guilty and testify against his co-accused. That is the extent of the discussion between the accused and the State,” Gininda told the court.
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