Retired cop tells court accused in Senzo Meyiwa's murder made confession statement

Retired Col Mhlanganyelwa Mbotho has told the Pretoria high court that Muzi Sibiya, accused number 1 in the murder of soccer star Senzo Meyiwa, confessed to committing a crime.

Mbotho, a retired police officer with more than 34 years of experience in the SAPS, said he has taken over 100 confession statements from suspects in his career.

Mbotho, who is the first witness in a trial within a trial, told the court that Sibiya told him that he wanted to confess to him about “shooting someone”.

Mbotho told the court that in May 2020, the same night the accused was arrested, he received a call from the investigator Brig Bongani Gininga telling him that he needed a confession statement from Sibiya.

Mbotho, who at that time worked at Randburg police station, said he took the statement at the Diepkloof police station where he met with the accused.

“I gave the man [accused] who was in handcuffs a seat and introduced myself and showed him my appointment letter. I then told him that I am authorised to take confessions. He understood, then I read him his rights and I told him that he has the right to have a legal representative. I also told him that whatever he says will be used against him in court," said Mbotho.

He further told the court that he warned the accused about the crime he had been arrested for as a person found guilty of that crime will serve the longest term of imprisonment.

He said Sibiya told him that he was not forced, assaulted, nor influenced to make the confession.

“The accused told me that he wants to complete the statement without a lawyer, and he is not forced [to make it]. After completing taking the statement, I asked him if he understood the statement he made. I then asked him to sign to show that he understood,” Mbotho said.