Drug dealing case against Senzo Meyiwa murder accused postponed

The drug dealing case against one of the five men accused of murdering former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has been postponed.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya briefly appeared in the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Sibiya was charged with dealing in drugs dating back to 2019.

The suspect was nabbed by the police in 2020 and during his arrest, live rounds of ammunition, one magazine and a cleaning rod were discovered at his shack.

ALSO READ: ‘Accused didn’t understand his rights’ – Defence argues in Senzo Meyiwa trial

He was subsequently charged for being in possession of unlicensed ammunition.

Judgment on both charges was expected to be delivered on Friday, but the matter was postponed due to the magistrate being unwell.

Sibiya will return to the dock on 12 December to learn his fate.

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Sibiya is serving 12 years for attempted murder.

In April last year, the suspect was convicted of attempted murder of Ntombenhle Ndaba and Mfanelo Mbatha after he randomly opened fire on them, but they survived the shooting.

The Vosloorus Magistrate’s Court declared Sibiya unfit to be in possession of a firearm.

Sibiya assaulted on day of arrest

It has previously been heard in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, where Sibiya is on trial for Meyiwa’s murder, that the suspect was arrested near his residence in Tembisa on 30 May 2020.

A police officer testified that Sibiya was allegedly on the verge of confessing to Meyiwa’s murder a few hours after his arrest when she stopped to read the accused his rights.

READ MORE: Senzo Meyiwa trial: Witness can’t confirm whether accused was assaulted

However, the defence in the Meyiwa trial has claimed he was assaulted by the police to a point where he “messed himself up” during his arrest.

According to Sibiya’s version of events, the three police officers took him to his place of residence to find his uncle because he had the keys to the shack, but when they did not find the relative they took him to Lethabong.

Postponement

The murder trial has since been postponed to next year for recess.

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng acceded to the postponement on Thursday after defence Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu revealed that he was feeling well and needed to consult a medical doctor.

The trial-within-a-trial, which has been taking place to determine if the alleged confessions made by Sibiya and his co-accused Bongani Ntanzi were made freely and voluntarily, will resume on January 22, 2024.

Meyiwa was fatally shot by what the state alleges were armed intruders at the Vosloorus family home of his then girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, on 26 October 2014.

Sibiya, Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Fisokuhle Ntuli are on trial for his murder.

They face charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of ammunition.

The suspects have pleaded not guilty.

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