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Retired Police Officer Reveals Accused's Confession in Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial

Published October 15, 2023
1 years ago

The ongoing trial of the murder of famed soccer star Senzo Meyiwa took a significant turn last week, according to retired police officer Colonel Mhlanganyelwa Mbotho. Mbotho, in a revealing testimony to the Pretoria High Court, stated that Muzi Sibiya—the accused number 1 in the murder case—had confessed to "shooting someone."



Serving over 34 fruitful years in the South African Police Services (SAPS), Mbotho brought forth in-court testimony laying emphasis on the fact that he had recorded over 100 confession statements from suspects throughout his career. Responding to accusations by Sibiya’s defence questioning the validity of the confession process, Mbotho detailed the sequence of events on the night of the accused's arrest.


Mbotho, in his role as the first witness in a trial within a trial, recalled receiving a call from investigator Brig Bongani Gininga requesting a confession statement from Sibiya. Gininga and Mbotho met at the Diepkloof police station where Mbotho obtained the statement from Sibiya, who was under arrest at the time.



Depicting a procedural scene, Mbotho stated, "I gave the man [accused], who was handcuffed at the time, a seat and introduced myself. I showed him my appointment letter, informed him about my authorization to take confessions and read him his rights, reminding him of his entitlement to a legal representative."


Mbotho assured the court that the accused comprehended his rights and the gravity of his inflammatory confession, adding that he had warned Sibiya about possible consequences.


Affirming Sibiya’s willingness, Mbotho told the court he quoted the suspect saying he wanted to "complete the statement without a lawyer" and had not been forced, assaulted nor influenced to confess. At the statement's conclusion, Mbotho requested a signature from Sibiya as affirmation of his understanding and voluntary confession.


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