Sibiya would've needed ambulance if assaulted by police, Meyiwa trial hears
A witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has denied claims by one of the accused, Muzi Sibiya, that he was assaulted by police.
Colonel Moses Mbotho, who is a former police officer with 36 years experience, testified in the High Court in Pretoria on Friday.
The court is hearing a trial-within-a-trial to rule on the admissibility of alleged confessions by accused number one and two.
"My lord, the police are fit and gyming. They can't assault a person three times like this and he is walking. That is not true, my lord. I want to deny that again. He was going to come by ambulance at least."
Sibiya was arrested on 30 May 2020 while in Tembisa.
According to his counsel, Sipho Ramosepele, his client was then taken to the Vosloorus police station where he was also assaulted.
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He was then taken to the Diepkloof police station, where he would draft his confession with Mbotho.
Ramosepele said his client has told him that he was also suffocated with a plastic bag by police.
"On the assault, the accused tells me that he was slapped but mainly the torture was a clear plastic bag covering his face. This was pulled by a person behind him whilst the other police officers held him. And they smothered and suffocated him so that he couldn't breathe."
But Mbotho maintained that Sibiya was not assaulted.
"If that thing occurred, he had all the time and opportunity to explain to me as a neutral person.
The trial-within-a-trial will continue on Monday when a new witness is expected to take the stand.
