Court hears Meyiwa accused did not want lawyer during alleged confession
A new witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has told the High Court in Pretoria that accused number two, Bongani Ntanzi, insisted that he did not require a lawyer when deposing his confession statement in 2020.
Sergeant Matsobane Raphadu told the court the investigating officer called him to take down Ntanzi’s alleged confession at the Moroka police station in June 2020.
Raphadu said Ntanzi was read his rights and thereafter insisted that he did not need a lawyer.
“I asked him further what he wanted to do. He said he is willing to proceed in making a statement without any legal representative. I further asked him if he was assaulted, and he said that he was not.”
Their defence teams are challenging the admissibility of Ntanzi and co-accused Muzi Sibiya’s confession in a trial-within-a-trial.]
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They are part of a group of five men accused of gunning down Meyiwa in 2024.
Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, who represents both Sibiya and Ntanzi, told the court his clients were coerced into making the alleged confession.
“The document is being challenged as accused of two Bongani Ntanzi claims that he was assaulted in administering the confession.”
Raphadu will continue with his testimony on Thursday when the defence is expected to cross-examine him.
