Meyiwa trial: Ntanzi to face cross-examination on disputed confession statements

Defence concedes state's right to cross-examine accused on confessions he alleges were extracted through torture.

State and defence counsel in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial agreed that accused Bongani Ntanzi may be cross-examined on confession statements he alleges were obtained under duress, the High Court in Pretoria heard.¹

State prosecutor George Baloyi said the parties reached consensus after consultations, describing it as "one of the rare cases where the state and the defence are in agreement" that filing formal heads of argument was unnecessary given the defence concession.¹ Both parties had been expected to submit written arguments on the admissibility of the alleged confessions.¹

Ntanzi, accused number two in the case, maintains he was tortured and suffocated with a plastic bag before being forced to sign confession statements following his arrest in June 2020.² He alleges he signed documents without knowledge of their contents.²

The state challenged Ntanzi's account, asserting that vehicle tracking data contradicts his version of events.² Baloyi put to Ntanzi that an alleged assault incident "near the staircases is merely a fabrication."²

Ntanzi rejected the prosecution's suggestion that time spent at an Alberton garage was due to mechanical problems, insisting the period was used to torture him.² He cited vehicle movement records as corroborating evidence, stating that without such data "I would have been seen as someone lying, because Sergeant Mogane denied that we went to the garage."²

Ntanzi and four co-accused are standing trial for the October 2014 killing of former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa.¹ Ntanzi allegedly made two confession statements after his arrest.¹ He was expected to resume testimony on Tuesday morning.²