The Pretoria High Court has heard that a series of hearsay statements formed the foundation for the arrest of a man accused of playing a role in the murder of footballer Senzo Meyiwa.
Brigadier Bongani Gininda, the lead investigating officer, returned to the witness stand on Tuesday for further cross-examination. The focus was primarily on the evidence that led to the arrest of the first accused, Muzi Sibiya. The questioning follows the death of Sibiya’s former legal representative in 2024.
Advocate Charles Mnisi, now representing Sibiya, challenged the reliability of the evidence used by the police to identify his client as a suspect. He referred to a statement made by Constable Sizwe Zungu’s father, Absolom Zungu, who claimed that Sibiya and co-accused Bongani Ntanzi had been named during a family dispute in KwaNongoma, KwaZulu-Natal.
However, Absolom Zungu’s account was not based on first-hand knowledge. He reportedly received the information from an individual named Mbhekiseni Ntuli, who in turn had also heard it from someone else. This sequence of second-hand information, Advocate Mnisi argued, amounted to hearsay.
He further stated that the case against his client appeared to have been built on what he described as “triple hearsay,” which, under the law, is inadmissible and holds no probative value.
The court proceedings are set to continue as cross-examination of the investigative team progresses.
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