Mthokozisi Thwala who was a friend of Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa told the court that he was tortured by two police men in 2019 during the investigation into the killing of the football star.
Thwala took the stand for the second day at the North Gauteng High court on Wednesday to give details of what happened when Meyiwa was killed and how the investigation into his killing unfolded over the years.
He said in January 2019 two police officers who he referred to as Makhubo and Buthelezi lured him to Pretoria under the pretence that he was going to do an identity parade.
Thwala said he was tortured by the two men when he arrived in Pretoria. “They tied my hands and my legs. They put something like a mat under my private part. And then the other one took out a tube. They started tubing me,” said Thwala
State prosecutor George Baloyi questioned what he meant when he said they tubed him. Thwala said the two men took turns torturing him by suffocating him with a tube.
“They took a tube, they closed my mouth and nose at the same time and they would tie it tightly at the back. I couldn’t breath to such an extent that I thought I would die there. They would take turns for a good three to four hours.
“I arrived there after 22:00. They assaulted me for a good hour before they started tubing me. From the tubing they would take turns until one of them fell asleep while the other one was tubing me.”
“From there, they were calling each other Morena. They kept on saying Morena and Morena is not something I would refer to as a name. They were speaking in Sesotho and since I was coming from Umlazi they were under the impression that I don’t understand Sesotho. The one man would say let’s leave him. We are just playing with this one. Let’s leave him,” Thwala said.
The five men on trial are: Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli.
They have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of firearms and possession of ammunition.
Meyiwa was killed in an alleged botched robbery at the home of girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo in October 2014.
