The five accused suspects in the murder of Senzo Meyiwa. Image: Nokwanda Ncwane /The South African.
‘Robbery gone wrong or hit?’: Roles of five suspects in Senzo Meyiwa murder revealed
In one of the confessions, the court heard that the five suspects in the Senzo Meyiwa murder had different roles.
The five accused suspects in the murder of Senzo Meyiwa. Image: Nokwanda Ncwane /The South African.
The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial continued earlier this week with Pretoria High Court magistrate Vivan Cronje in the witness box reading out confessions made by one of the accused, Bongani Ntanzi.
Nranzi and four others were arrested in connection with the murder of former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa. The late shot-stopper was shot in 2014 while at Kelly Khumalo’s family home.
ROLES OF FIVE SUSPECTS IN SENZO MEYIWA MURDER
In his confession statement, dated 24 June 2020, Ntanzi confessed to their different roles in the alleged crime. The alleged confession statement by Ntanzi dived into how the alleged suspects carried out their crime.
There were two spotters, two confronters and a get-away driver. According to Ntanzi, there were three different roles, with Ntuli being the driver. Sibiya and Maphisa were the lookouts. Ntanzi and Mncube were the confronters who entered the house.
Confessing about what transpired inside the house, Ntanzi said there was a scuffle between Meyiwa and Mncube, also known as Carlos. Part of the confession statement reads, “There was a scuffle between him (Senzo Meyiwa) and Carlos.” Against the scuffle, Mncube fired two shots.
HOW MUCH DID THE ACCUSED RECEIVE FROM THE MASTERMIND?
After the incident, they drove to the hostel, where he received R15 000. Ntanzi said he received more money after two days, making it R45 000.
Part of the statement reads, “I got a total of about R45,000. This includes the initial R15,000.” However, Mzansi has been trying to connect the dots about how much other suspects received.
On 15 March, accused 1 Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya’s statement implicated singer Kelly Khumalo as the alleged mastermind of Senzo Meyiwa’s murder. The Gauteng High Court heard that the accused charged R100 000 for their service. However, little is known about whether the total amount was settled.
Sibiya’s confession statement also revealed that the alleged suspects paid their sangoma ‘a consultation fee’ of R50 before paying off another R5 000.
CELLPHONE RECORDS IMPLICATE KELLY KHUMALO
Two of the suspects in Senzo Meyiwa’s murder, Ntanzi and Sibiya, both implicated Kelly Khumalo in their confessions. However, in 2022, the court heard that one of the accused was in contact with Kelly Khumalo before the incident happened.
Colonel Lambertus Steyn testified that Ntuli was in contact with Kelly Khumalo in August and October 2014. As alleged by the confessions, Ntuli, a well-known hitman, was the driver.
Cellphone data revealed that their first call dated back to 2 August 2014 and lasted nearly two minutes—the second call dated back to 15 October 2014.
