A suspect linked to the murder of the late Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa has denied being in Gauteng at the time the soccer star was killed.
This is despite the state presenting evidence at the Pretoria High Court on Monday that accused number one, Muzikawukhalelwa Sibiya’s bank account, showed that there were transactions made in Johannesburg between 2013 and 2015.
Meyiwa was fatally shot while visiting his musician girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, Kelly Khumalo, in October 2014 in Vosloorus.
Five suspects were arrested in 2020 and are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, possession of firearms without a licence, and possession of ammunition.
They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
State prosecutor advocate Ronnie Sibanda told the court that the accused’s banking information puts them in Gauteng between 2013 and 2015.
Evidence places accused in Johannesburg
According to the state, the evidence pertains to cellphone communication between all of the accused dating back to 2018.
While going through Sibiya’s bank account records, Sibanda highlighted that Sibiya said he was in KwaZulu-Natal during the period in question; however, his bank account shows that he was in Johannesburg.
“But the state has listed some of these bank transactions that show Sibiya was in Johannesburg,” said Sibanda.
“2014/07/03 transaction of R200 at the tavern in Johannesburg. 2014/07/08 ATM withdrawal of R100 at shop 11 in Naledi, Johannesburg. 2014/09/21 cash withdrawal of R600 in Naledi, Johannesburg, at the ATM. 2014/10/01 cash withdrawal of R200 in Johannesburg.”
Sibiya is already serving a 10-year jail term after he was convicted in a separate matter that involved drug dealing and possession of ammunition.
He was sentenced by the Thembisa magistrate’s court in January.
Gideon Gouws to take the stand
Monday’s proceedings took place after the case was halted due to accusations of a trial by ambush by the defence, which claimed that the state introduced fresh evidence while court proceedings were still ongoing two weeks earlier.
During the brief court proceedings on Monday, the presiding judge, Ratha Mokgoatlheng, called for an adjournment.
The trial will resume on Wednesday, when cellphone data expert Gideon Gouws will take the stand.
Before the trial resumed on Monday, Mokgoatlheng addressed the defence’s concerns, saying that justice must be served.
