Suspect denies link to getaway car used in Meyiwa murder

Ntuli used vehicle ‘two years later after moving to GP’

Adv Zandile Mshololo, the defence lawyer for Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli, yesterday told the court her client had no links to the alleged getaway car at the time of Senzo Meyiwa’s murder, but he had used the car briefly – two years later.

Mshololo’s statement comes after state witness Chupye Christopher Matlou, who works as an investigator for the Road Traffic Management Corporation took the stand.

He had testified before the high court in Pretoria last week that evidence generated from the electronic national administration traffic information system (NaTIS) showed that in October 2014 – when Meyiwa was murdered – the car belonged to a vehicle hire company.

Investigator Brig Bongani Gininda had asked Matlou to look into the ownership and history of the car.

Ntuli is on trial with Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa for Meyiwa’s murder. They have all pleaded not guilty.

“The accused will tell this court he hired this vehicle only for two days during 2016, not 2014,” Mshololo said.

She further probed Matlou on whether there was information disclosing who was using the car on the day of the murder. In response, Matlou said he did not have the information but that the hiring company would.

Matlou last week told the court that RTMC records revealed that Sibiya, who signed a confession detailing the circumstances leading to Meyiwa’s murder, was in Gauteng during the year of the murder.

This was crucial because it was Sibiya’s evidence that he was not a resident of Gauteng between 2013 and 2015 and therefore was not around at the time of the murder.

Matlou, however, said evidence showed Sibiya had applied for and written two learner’s licence tests during that period. The first was on July 22 2014 and another on September 15 2014 in Brakpan and Boksburg respectively.

His lawyer, advocate Adv Thulani Mngomezulu, however, said when Sibiya applied for the tests, he was in KwaZuluNatal and had travelled to Gauteng to write the learner’s tests and then returned to KZN.

The matter has been postponed to April 15.