Brigadier Bongani Gininda, the lead investigator and the state’s final witness, took the stand before the Pretoria High Court on Thursday, refuting claims that have been made by Senzo Meyiwa’s brother of two dockets in the case.
He came back after the state asked him to give clarity on his testimony on the matter again.
During his testimony, he told the court that there is only one docket into Meyiwa’s murder case.
Gininda told the court that he was not the only one assigned to work on the investigation.
“There were four of us tasked with investigating this matter,” Gininda told the court.
“There were theories when we took over this matter that the person who was the shooter was inside the house.”
Controversial second docket
In his evidence, he addressed questions regarding the controversial second docket.
“Warrant officer Meshack Makhubo opened case 375, which is a defeating docket rather than a murder docket.
“The docket in question is the sole one related to Meyiwa’s murder,” he said.
Additionally, Gininda informed the judge that Makhubo and Lieutenant-Colonel Joyce Buthelezi introduced this docket, which discusses the alleged scene tampering.
He further said that it was opened in revenge because they could not agree on whether Meyiwa’s murder was committed by the individuals in the house or by intruders.
“The first directive I gave was that copies of the docket must be made for each team so they can read and analyse it based on the evidence collected, to say if there were intruders and who they were, and if there were no intruders, who were the perpetrators.
“When we got together, it was clear that there were no intruders, but based on what I analysed, there were intruders.”
Gininda said Makhubo and Buthelezi believed that there were no intruders, and he believed so; however, when he looked at the docket, he believed otherwise.
Accused have pleaded not guilty
“We got together and looked at these different views. I had the view together with Colonel Ramuhala that the evidence showed there were intruders, and it is based on that that we went apart.
“We went in different directions, and that gave rise to the opening of the docket 375. I was not aware of it,” he said.
Five people were arrested in 2020 and are facing charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.
The accused — MMthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, Sifisokuhle Ntuli, Muzikawulahlelwa Sibiya, and Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi — have entered not guilty pleas.
