Meyiwa murder trial: Bongani Ntanzi distances himself from his lawyer's version of events

JOHANNESBURG - The second man accused of murdering football star Senzo Meyiwa has distanced himself from the version presented by his lawyer on his behalf.

Bongani Ntanzi is on the witness stand testifying in the trial-within-a-trial, which is to establish the admissibility of his confession statements.

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Ntanzi signed two incriminating statements after his arrest in June 2020.

He is one of five men accused of Meyiwa’s 2014 murder in Vosloorus on the East Rand.

Ntanzi’s lawyer, Thulani Mngomezulu, has swung between multiple versions throughout the trial-within-a-trial.

His initial version was that Ntanzi was assaulted while being transported from a police station in Pretoria to the Moroka police station. where he signed his first confession.

But Ntanzi now said that was never his version.

"Are you now disputing it and distancing yourself from it?" asked state prosecutor Ronnie Sibanda.

“My lord, I cannot speak for Mngomezulu because he will be able to speak to the court," replied Ntanzi.

Ntanzi’s testimony continues.