Meyiwa murder trial: Confession statements of 2 accused to be exhibited in court
Confession statements by two of the accused have been ruled to be admissible, concluding the trial within a trial.
This as the trial of the 5 men charged with the crime, resumed on Monday morning.
JOHANNESBURG - Confession statements by two of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa trial are set to be unveiled on Friday morning following a ruling on their admissibility.
Five months after the start of a trial within a trial to establish the admissibility, the Pretoria High Court made a ruling on Thursday.
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Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng ruled that the statements made by the first two accused were made freely and voluntarily, despite the pair claiming to have been severely assaulted.
Now that the confession statements signed by Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya and Bongani Ntanzi were found to be admissible, they must be read into the record.
State Advocate George Baloyi said this would be the next step on Friday morning.
“The witnesses must now come back in the main trial to put the contents of the confessions on record.”
That means witnesses including Magistrate Vivian Cronje, who took Ntanzi's second statement, and Sergeant Nhlangnyelwa Mbotho, who took Sibiya's confession hours after his arrest, will all return to the witness stand.
This forms part of the main trial after the trial within a trial was concluded on Thursday.