Jack Buthelezi, a close friend of accused number 2 Bongani Ntanzi made a u-turn shortly after telling the court that Ntanzi confessed to him that he killed Bafana Bafana captain, Senzo Meyiwa in 2014.
Buthelezi initially told court during his evidence-in-chief that Ntanzi told him that he killed Meyiwa in 2014 when he was with his friends at a party in Vosloorus.
Buthelezi said Ntanzi asked to meet with him after he was arrested in 2020. He said when they met Ntanzi was in chains and in a police van in Rustenburg and this is where he confessed that he killed Meyiwa.
State prosecutor, George Baloyi asked Buthelezi to tell the court Ntanzi’s exact words when he made the confession
“He said they were at a party and he was with his friends. Maphisa and them. They killed Meyiwa,” said Buthelezi.
Buthelezi said Ntanzi was crying after making the alleged confession and he gave him money afterwards.
“I said it was fine. I then took out R500 in my pocket and I gave it to him. He took the R500 and then he turned away from me and he started crying. And that was the last I saw of him,” he said.
But when defence lawyer Zandile Mshololo pressed him further about Ntanzi’s alleged confession, Buthelezi changed his tune and claimed it was the police who alleged that Ntanzi killed the soccer star.
“Did accused Number 2 say he was arrested because he killed Senzo or he said he was arrested because the police say he killed Senzo,” asked Mshololo.
Buthelezi then changed his statement and told the court that after Ntanzi was nabbed he told him that ‘it is alleged that I killed Senzo’.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli have denied any involvement in Meyiwa’s murder.
They are charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a license and possession of ammunition.
Another state witness and forensic expert warrant officer Thabo Mosia took the stand yet again to give clarity about the contradictions in his earlier testimony and the entries he made in his pocket book, case register and spring plan register.
Defence lawyers needed clarity and an explanation about the different times and dates made in his pocket book and case registers.
The defence lawyers, Zithulele Nxumalo and Zandile Mshololo asked Mosia why there were discrepancies with times of arrival at the crime scene on 27 October 2014.
Nxumalo asked Mosia for the correct time of arrival at the crime scene between the 06:00 as he mentioned in his testimony and the entry he made in his pocket that he arrived at 10:25.
Mosia said he was not sure about the times and dates when he took the stand to give evidence because he didn’t have his docket and the pocket when he prepared for trial.
“As I have already indicated I prepared the evidence in chief without my pocket book and docket. I was not sure as to what time I arrived at the crime scene because the incident happened a long time ago,” said Mosia.
Mosia admitted that he made an error when he made an entry in his pocket book.
“I believe there is an error on the entry I made in the pocket book because when I remember well, the crime scene management indicated that they arrived at the crime scene around 9:00 and I was already on the crime scene at the time. I think there is an error in the writing of the entry,” said Mosia.
