Colonel Solomon Raphadu told the court on Thursday that accused number two in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Bongani Ntanzi, was willing and appeared sober and sane-minded when he was interviewed.
Raphadu was testifying at the Pretoria High Court where the admissibility of Ntanzi’s alleged confession to the gruesome murder of the soccer star was being scrutinised.
Raphadu detailed the procedure he followed when interviewing Ntanzi, asserting that he did everything by the book and that the accused was participating willingly.
Accused sober and sane-minded
He testified that Ntanzi was sober and sane-minded, and emphasised that the accused was not forced to confess nor intimidated by means of assault, and that he was not promised any benefits.
According to Raphadu, Ntanzi was interviewed, read his rights, and authorised the statement by means of a signature and initials.
He said they both initialled and signed every page of the statement, which was collected by Brigadier Bongani Gininda two days later.
“I read the statement back to him. I asked him if he was satisfied that all was noted correctly, and he said yes. I asked if he was satisfied with the interpretation, he said yes.
“I completed the statement on June 19 2020. There is his thumb print, my signature, and his signature.
“I took the statement, and it was collected from my office two days later,” he testified.
Lawyer insists client was coerced
Ntanzi’s lawyer, advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, dismissed Raphadu’s version of events, arguing that his client was coerced into signing the said confession in the presence of authorities who had allegedly tortured and assaulted him.
“He [Ntanzi] will deny he ever made a statement neither was the statement read back to him. The statement came with Brigadier Gininda, and he was ordered to sign that,” Mngomezulu said.
Raphadu vehemently denied the allegations, asserting that Ntanzi did not mention any assault during their interaction nor did he exhibit visible fresh injuries.
He also denied being present when the alleged assault happened.
