The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial continued at the Pretoria High Court on Monday, where accused number one, Muzi Sibiya, told the court that accused number five is his cousin [Fisokuhle Ntuli].
Despite this revelation, Sibiya insisted that he had never seen or spoken to his cousin around the time of the late soccer star’s murder.
Under cross-examination by Advocate Zandile Mshololo, who represents Ntuli, Sibiya maintained his innocence, detailing his interactions with police following his arrest.
Mshololo asked Sibiya about his arrest and the trip to KwaZulu-Natal with police officers.
“You testified last week that when you were arrested, Brigadier Gininda took you to your family in KwaZulu-Natal. When was it?” she asked.
“They took me home on June 6, 2020, because they asked me what they should do for me, and I told them I wanted to see my uncle in Tembisa,” he responded.
When asked if he was taken to Tembisa, Sibiya said no.
“I had not asked to see my parents, but the police took that decision to take me home to my parents,” he said.
Mshololo asked if he had provided the investigating team with his parents’ cellphone number so they could be informed of his arrest.
“No, they never asked for it,” Sibiya responded.
He questioned why he was the only accused taken home.
“I don’t know the police’s reasons. But according to me, that was to torture me and for my parents to see me in that state, handcuffed.”
State advocate George Baloyi objected to Sibiya’s suggestion of ill-treatment, saying the police took him to eMahlabathini to verify his address.
Sibiya disputed Baloyi’s explanation.
“No. I had given them the address where I was living in Tembisa,” he said.
Sibiya further clarified the hours that they travelled from Gauteng to KwaZulu-Natal.
“Usually, going home takes seven hours, but that day we left in the morning and arrived very late. We stopped at the airport, in Standerton, and in Ulundi. The police would go in and buy food for themselves and not for me. On our way home I was handcuffed; my hands were at the back,” he said.
Mshololo showed a document indicating that his arrest was recorded at 9.45pm, though he told the court that he was arrested at 1pm.
“Do you know why that was the case?” Mshololo asked.
“Yes I know. It was because after I was arrested, they were busy assaulting me throughout the day. From Tembisa to Vosloorus and Diepkloof.”
Questioned about whether he had contacted accused number five on the day Meyiwa was killed, Sibiya said he does not have Ntuli’s number.
Mshololo brought Constable Sizwe Zungu’s testimony that Sibiya and Ntuli were seen together at the Basotho Hostel on October 26 2014.
“That year I was at home in KZN. I had no meeting with any of the accused,” he said.
He also denied knowledge of a photo showing accused three and five together.
When Mshololo asked whether he had contacted Ntuli 44 times, as testified by the cellphone experts, Sibiya dismissed the claim.
“No, the person who uses this number is Lungisani Ndwandwe, my brother. This notion that I called Ntuli is corruption. They’re accusing my cousin of something he never did. This number is still active, we can call it now, and Lungisani will answer. Even now that I am in jail, I call this number and speak to Lungisani,” he told the court.
The trial continues.
