A police sergeant attached to the police’s Cold Case Investigation Unit told the court that one of the five men accused of killing Senzo Meyiwa warned them about his expensive Brentwood pants and told them not to make him lie down.
Sergeant Bathobakae Mogola was testifying in a trial-within-a-trial in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Monday.
Mogola was testifying about events that unfolded regarding the arrest of accused number one, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya.
Sibiya and accused number two, Bongani Ntanzi, claim that they have been assaulted, tortured, and electrocuted by police officers to confess to Meyiwa’s murder.
The trial-within-a-trial is being heard to determine whether the confessions made by the two accused were made under duress or willingly.
Mogola said in May 2020, she was with two officers, Sergeant Sadiki and Sergeant Buthelezi. They went to Thembisa after getting a tip-off that Sibiya was spotted in that area.
She said when they arrived in Thembisa, he was not at his place but was spotted standing with two men, and they approached him.
According to Mogola, before they did anything, she read him his rights as required by law.
She said Sibiya was cooperative, and they asked him if he could take them to his shack, and he agreed.
According to Mogola, Sibiya told the other officers that they shouldn’t make him lie down on the ground because he was wearing expensive pants.
“He was wearing blue Brentwood pants ... When we got to his shack, he asked to change his pants because he didn’t want anything to happen to them while in prison.
“He changed into jeans and also changed his shoes and wore a red-orange Carvela,” said Mogola.
Before leaving, Mogola said officers who searched his shack looking for his ID, found ammunition, a magazine, and the cleaning rod.
When asked about the items, Sibiya took ownership.
When asked about the gun, he said the gun was his friend’s from Vusumuzi Hostel in Thembisa.
Mogola said she fetched an exhibit bag from the car, put the items inside, sealed the bag in front of Sibiya, and they left with him.
The trial continues.
IOL