The High Court in Pretoria has heard new evidence pertaining to the vehicle movements of police officers who transported accused 2 in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, around the time the accused allege they were tortured into making confessions.
Following the conclusion of Sergeant Batho-Bakae Mogola, vehicle tracking expert Michael Du Preez returned to the stand with a report mapping the movements of Sergeant Vusumuzi Mogane’s vehicle between 31 May and 22 June 2020.
Du Preez’s report has revealed that on the day Bongani Ntanzi claims he was tortured before signing a confession statement at the Moroka Police Station, Mogane’s car could have stopped at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.
This would be in line with Ntanzi’s version that the police stopped here to meet Colonel Mohale Raphadu – the officer who later took down the alleged confession in Moroka.
As Sergeant Mogola concluded her evidence on the arrest and detention of the accused, the focus in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial shifted to vehicle tracking expert, Michael Du Preez’s evidence.
However, this aspect of the proceedings got off to a tense start on Thursday morning, with what seemed like a deadlock between the defence and the judge on who exactly should lead the new evidence contained in Du Preez’s report.
Advocate Zandile Mshololo insisted that since the issue had arisen during cross-examination, it was the defence that was supposed to continue with Du Preez and not the state as that would take the matter back to the witness’s evidence in chief.
Judge Mokgoatlheng: No, Mr Mnisi must start his cross-examination, and so too Mr Mngomezulu.
Mshololo : So, we are going back to examination in chief.
Judge Mokgoatlheng: Cross-examination.
Mshololo: If it is cross-examination, then it should be Mr Mnisi.
Judge Mokgoatlheng: Ms Mshololo, you want to run this case? I can recuse myself. I have no problem in doing that. I have told you I’ve made a decision. If you have got a problem with that, take me on review.
Today’s court proceedings :
The court has previously heard that one of the locations Sergeant Vusumuzi Mogane drove to, on the accused 2, Bongani Ntanzi, was allegedly forced to sign a confession statement – was at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto.
According to Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, this is where Sgt Mogane and his colleague, the late Sergeant Steven Mabena – met with Colonel Mohale Raphadu. This was before they continued to Orlando where the torture continued.
In a new turn of events, Du Preez has told the court that the stop at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital was possible.
Du Preez: The vehicle proceeded onto the n12, taking the Chris Hani Baragwanath and stopped at the SAPS Moroka Police Station.
Judge Mokgoatlheng: Did it enter Baragwanath Hospital?
Du Preez: My lord it shows, and maybe if we do this, it appears that as it left Chris Hani, then it went GPS unlocked from 15h48 until 16h03 when it left Baragwanath hospital, already. My lord, if it entered that area, it must have driven through that area. At 15h43, it shows it was at the gates of Baragwanath, and at 16h03 – that is 20 minutes later it was already there. It is possible that it could have stopped at that location. But given GPS unlocked it is mere speculation. I said, my lord, at 16h16, their vehicle was at Moroka Police Station.
Prosecutor George Baloyi: Now, from Chris Hani Baragwanath to Moroka Police Station did the vehicle go anywhere near Orlando?
Du Preez: My lord, no, from Baragwanath the vehicle went straight to Moroka. There is no other deviation there my lord.
Du Preez will be back on the witness stand on Friday morning to conclude presenting his report before the defense starts his cross-examination.
