The course of the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial taking place in South Africa hit a delay as a new attorney joined the defence team, marking a pause in the trial-within-a-trial segment aimed at examining the veracity of the accused’s confessions.
Senzo Meyiwa trial-within-a-trial: Defence team beefed up with new advocate
As the trial progressed, the courtroom saw a new development when attorney Mr Mngomezulu entered the scene to represent accused 1 and 2.
The trial-within-a-trial is a significant part of the case designed to delve into the authenticity of confession statements by Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya and Bongani Ntanzi.
This segment commenced on Monday, with the aim to discern whether the confessions were made under duress or were voluntary.
Mr Mngomezulu, joining the defence team for accused 1 and 2, requested a few hours to go over the testimonies of Colonel Mhlanganelwa Mbotho and Thapelo Monareng.
This sudden addition to the defence team necessitated a postponement, allowing Mngomezulu time to consult with his clients and review the testimonies before proceeding.
Meanwhile, the court ordered that recordings be provided to Advocate Charles Mnisi, representing accused number 3, who was not present in court for the next few days.
The spotlight of the trial hovers over Sibiya’s allegations of being assaulted into signing a confession, a claim that has not yet been backed by lodging any criminal cases against the purported assailants.
The confession, obtained on the day of his arrest on 30 May 2020, is now being meticulously examined in this trial-within-a-trial.
Col Mbotho, who transported accused 1 to Diepkloof Police Station, refuted the claims of assault during the court proceedings.
The Senzo Meyiwa trial-within-a-trial is expected to resume on Tuesday.