‘Accused was bought Wimpy’: Police’s movements takes centre stage in Senzo Meyiwa trial

Vehicle tracking records dominated proceedings in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial on Tuesday as the state seek to squash one of the accused’s claims of torture at the hands of the police.

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard the details of a police escort’s movements from Sergeant Vusumuzi Mogane in a trial-within-a-trial on Tuesday.

Mogane transported Bongani Ntanzi to the Moroka police station in Soweto on 19 June 2020 to make a confession about his alleged involvement in Meyiwa’s murder.

Ntanzi, however, claims the police made several stops in locations such as Alberton, Germiston and Orlando where he was assaulted and forced to confess.

Two trips to Soweto

Going through the automatic vehicle locator (AVL) report on Tuesday, Mogane said the car tracking records showed no stops were made on the police’s way to Soweto on the day in question.

The AVL report indicated that the police actually made two trips to Moroka police station.

The first time was to escort Ntanzi for his confession, while the second trip was made because the late Sergeant Steven Mabena had forgotten his keys and a USB drive at the station.

Mogane had told the court that the police travelled to Vosloorus, where Ntanzi was initially scheduled to appear in court, before they proceeded to the suspect’s place of residence in Phokeng, Rustenburg.

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The report showed that Mogane, who was driving the white Toyota Fortuner they travelled in, exceeded the speed limit on multiple occasions on their way to Phokeng.

The court also heard that the police stopped at a petrol station on the N4 to buy food around 8pm.

The records showed the engine was switched off at 8:15pm and started again at 8:17pm.

“There is an Engen petrol station that has a Wimpy next to the Doornpoort toll gate. We went in and had food, which was ordered by Sergeant Mabena while we were driving on the road. We did not sit in, we took a takeaway as Sergeant Mabena placed an order in advance. [The food] was for myself, Sergeant Mabena and Mr Ntanzi,” Mogane said.

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The state witness revealed that they arrived at Ntanzi’s place of residence at 10:33pm.

He said after searching Ntanzi’s home, at 11:05pm they drove to a police station in Phokeng where Ntanzi was briefly detained “without injuries” and processed for possession of live ammunition, which was found at his place.

They then left Phokeng at 03:29am for Primrose police station, where Ntanzi was transferred, and arrived at 04:30am on 20 June 2020.

Defence asks for more documents

Following the conclusion of Mogane’s evidence, Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, counsel for Ntanzi, asked for more car tracking related documents before cross-examining the witness.

“I do have questions for the witness, but I would like to place this on record that the AVL bearing the records of the 22nd of June 2020 was not discovered to the defence on the reasons that the said motor vehicle that the witness is testifying about was not used on that day, as per the state. And the 24th of June 2020; it has also been said by the state that the said motor vehicle was not used on that day,” the defence lawyer said.

READ MORE: Senzo Meyiwa trial: Accused ‘did not sleep’ before making confession, says defence

Mogane transported Ntanzi to the Tlhabane Magistrate’s Court in Rustenburg and took the suspect to a dentist in a different vehicle, according to the state, on 22 June 2020.

On 24 June, the accused was taken to the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court where the suspect made his second confession before Magistrate Vivian Cronje.

Mngomezulu further told the court the defence was seeking the vehicle records of 5 June, which was the day accused one, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, was taken to Vosloorus by Mogane to do a pointing out exercise of the crime scene of Meyiwa’s shooting.

The trial will resume on Wednesday.