Senzo Meyiwa murder accused slapped with five-year jail sentence

One of the five men accused of murdering former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has been slapped with a five-year jail sentence.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya appeared in the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for his sentencing.

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

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

The police testified Sibiya had packs of heroin when they searched him while patrolling in Tembisa.

Guilty on two charges

In December last year, Magistrate Jerome Josephs found Sibiya guilty on two counts including possession of drugs and the illegal possession of ammunition.

The suspect was acquitted on the charge of selling drugs.

After the case had been postponed to 18 January, Sibiya has now learnt of his fate.

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On Thursday, Sibiya was sentenced to five years on each count.

His sentences will run concurrently as he is already serving 12 years for attempted murder.

The suspect was convicted of attempted murder of Ntombenhle Ndaba and Mfanelo Mbatha in April 2022 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 the officer stopped to read the accused his rights.

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, 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.

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