Bongani Ntanzi, the second accused in the murder of former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, was denied bail on Friday.
Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Why was Bongani Ntanzi denied bail?
The murder-accused suspect learned of his fate at the Pretoria High Court six months after he initially applied for conditional release.
Ntanzi’s lawyers argued that not only was he wrongfully arrested, but he also had an airtight alibi to prove that, in fact, he was nowhere near Vosloorus the night Meyiwa was gunned down inside the home of Kelly Khumalo’s mother.
“In this matter the state did not place any evidence before the court either opposing the application for bail or in rebuttal of the applicant’s denial of the commission of the offenses with which he had been charged,” Ntanzi’s defence submitted.
Despite the assertions, the Pretoria court dismissed Ntanzi’s application.
“Having considered the evidence before me, I’m satisfied that the applicant has not discharged the honest proof and exceptional circumstances that it would be in the interest of justice to grant bail,” the court ruled.
Ntanzi will join his four co-accused murder suspects on the dock when the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumes on Tuesday, 2 May 2023.
Judge Maumela faces suspension over gross misconduct
Another development taking shape within the greater context of the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial came on Friday when the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) confirmed its decision to “advise the President that it is desirable that Judges Maumela and Mngqibisa-Thusi be placed on suspension pending the outcome of the Tribunal processes with certain conditions, including that the judges must, during the period of suspension, finalise all matters that are presently before them.”
Maumela, according to a complaint investigated by the JSC, has racked up a horrible track record of failing “to deliver numerous reserved judgments.”
“The JSC decided that the failure to deliver the reserved judgments , if established, will prima facie indicate incapacity, gross incompetence or gross misconduct on the part of the Judges, taking into account the extent of the delay and the prejudice suffered by the parties,” the commission wrote.
While it’s yet to be confirmed, Meyiwa’s trial could suffer yet another long-drawn-out delay if Maumela is recused as the presiding judge.