Court to hear arguments on Senzo Meyiwa trial within a trial

JOHANNESBURG - The Pretoria High Court will hear arguments on the Senzo Meyiwa trial within a trial resuming on Monday morning.

The court is closer to establishing the admissibility of confession statements that were signed by two of the accused.

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Five men are being tried for the Bafana Bafana captain’s 2014 murder, and the State insists two of the men confessed freely and voluntarily.

The State and defence spent two months leading evidence in the trial within a trial, and now counsel will make oral submissions for and against the admissibility of the confession statements.

The crux of the arguments by Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya and Bongani Ntanzi, who are both accused of Senzo Meyiwa’s murder, is that they were severely beaten into signing confession statements that were already written.

However, the State believes police ticked all the required boxes when taking confessions, including ensuring that the accused were in their sound and sober senses, and that they made the statements freely and voluntarily.

Over the last two months in court, Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng advised the legal representatives to leave certain points for argument.

Those will likely be explored during their oral submissions on Monday morning.