The High Court in Pretoria hearing the Senzo Meyiwa trial has heard about accused 4, Mthokoziseni Maphisa’s alleged involvement in the murder of former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.
Reading his statement in court today, lead investigator in the murder case Brigadier Bongani Gininda said Maphisa confessed to what he says is a “private person” and “close friend” regarding his involvement in the crime.
“He is linked by a confession he made to a private person, a close friend, about his involvement in this matter,” Gininda read the statement in part.
According to the statement, it was accused 2, Bongani Ntanzi’s arrest on the 16th of June 2020, that seems to have precipitated the alleged confession by Maphisa to the “close friend”.
“This confession is about how the suspect requested this private person to establish reasons why suspect Mafika (accused 2), was arrested. The information disclosed was that the suspect Mafika was not only arrested for ammunition but also for the Meyiwa murder,”
Gininda’s statement suggests Maphisa was worried about what Ntanzi could tell the police about the events of the 26th of October 2014 when Meyiwa was shot and killed at his former girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo’s Vosloorus home.
“Upon the private person, in return, disclosing this information to the suspect Maphisa, Maphisa instructed the private person to return to and inform Mafika not to disclose his, Mafika’s involvement as he, Mafika, would be assassinated.”
Previous witnesses have told the court that two suspects entered the house and demanded cellphones and money before a scuffle ensued during which a shot was fired and hit Meyiwa in his chest. The witnesses who were in the house told the court that the first alleged intruder was tall, wearing a hoodie, followed by the alleged second suspect who had dreadlocks and was carrying a gun.
Gininda’s statement suggests that Maphisa may not have been one of the two intruders who allegedly entered the house.
“It was during this discussion that the suspect Maphisa confessed to the private person about his involvement in the matter. The investigation revealed that the role of Maphisa was to guard any unexpected people who may come into the house or outside the house. He was also armed with a small firearm.”
While previous witnesses have told the court that they heard the alleged intruders had run in the direction of the nearby park, neighbour Nthabiseng Mokete, who says she was sitting in the car with her friend when the shot went off, told the court she had seen three men run in the same direction after she had heard gunshots.
“I never heard anything scream. After a few seconds, I heard a gunshot and I asked Yolanda (her friend) if that was a gunshot sound. She said it was a gunshot. Then the second shot went off and I then saw two men run past, just like the first man, running towards the park. I didn’t see where they were running from or which house,” Mokete previously told the court.
According to the statement by Gininda, accused Fisokuhle Ntuli’s alleged role was that of guarding the getaway car – a silver VW Polo. Gininda says there are sworn witness statements confirming the accused were seen driving in the car prior and after the commission of the crime.
The Senzo Meyiwa trial resumed this morning following almost a two-month break after it was postponed in November when Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu for accused 1 and 2 told the court he was not feeling well and could not continue with Gininda’s cross-examination.
Live stream of the trial:
