The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumes at the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday, where accused number one, Muzi Sibiya, will continue facing cross-examination from State Prosecutor George Baloyi.
Proceedings are expected to begin at 10:00 SAST and will be streamed live in the video below.
Sibiya, who has been on the stand for nearly two weeks, continues to maintain his innocence in the 2014 murder of the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa. The State, however, argues that his testimony is inconsistent and that his alibi does not match the timeline of events presented in court.
During Tuesday’s session, Baloyi pressed Sibiya about his whereabouts on 26 October 2014 — the day Meyiwa was shot dead at the Vosloorus home of singer Kelly Khumalo.
While Sibiya previously said he lived in KwaZulu-Natal between 2013 and 2014, Baloyi pointed out that he never mentioned being in the province at the time of the murder.
“You never disclosed this alibi before, Mr Sibiya,” Baloyi said.
“You now say you were in KwaZulu-Natal on that day, but you can’t remember exactly where. Why did you fail to mention this earlier?”
Sibiya responded that he had not been asked to provide his exact whereabouts until recently. “I’m saying that I was not at the Basotho Hostel on the 26th of October 2014,” he testified.
“I have never met these people who are said to be my co-accused on that day. Yes, I was in KwaZulu-Natal, but I cannot remember precisely where.”
Baloyi argued that Sibiya’s vague answers and shifting statements made it difficult for the court to verify his claims.
The prosecutor suggested that Sibiya’s new claim of being in KwaZulu-Natal might be an attempt to distance himself from the crime scene.
Sibiya, however, stood by his story, insisting that he had nothing to do with the murder and that police fabricated his alleged confession.
“I did not confess to anything. I was forced to sign documents I didn’t understand after being assaulted by officers,” he told the court earlier this week.
The courtroom exchanges have grown increasingly tense as Baloyi continues to scrutinise the accused’s earlier statements.
Defence Advocate Zandile Mshololo has repeatedly objected to the prosecutor’s line of questioning, saying it unfairly repeats points already addressed. Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng, who is presiding over the trial, has allowed the questioning to continue, saying the State is entitled to test inconsistencies in the witness’s evidence.
Sibiya is one of five men accused of killing Meyiwa, alongside Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Ntuli. All five have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, robbery, and possession of unlicensed firearms.
The case, which has dragged on for years, has kept national attention focused on the unresolved details surrounding the death of Meyiwa, who was killed in what was initially described as a botched robbery.
The trial has exposed deep disputes between investigators, witnesses, and defence lawyers, with accusations of police misconduct continuing to dominate proceedings.
The hearing resumes today with the State expected to continue challenging Sibiya’s testimony, focusing on inconsistencies in his version of events and his failure to disclose his whereabouts before now.
The live stream of today’s proceedings is available below.
