Lead investigator in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case has denied that he offered accused number two Bongani Ntanzi R3 million to implicate the 'right' people. This comes after the defence lawyer advocate Thulani Mngomezulu told Brigadier Bongani Gininda yesterday that he offered Ntanzi the money for a false confession. Mngomezulu was cross examining Gininda who is currently on the stand at the Pretoria High Court. The defence is challenging the admissibility of the confessions allegedly made by the accused in the murder case.

This, comes just a day after Gininda dropped a bombshell in an affidavit allegedly from Ntanzi claiming that singer Kelly Khumalo was the one who ordered a hit on Meyiwa. Responding to Mngomezulu, Gininda said there was no reason for him to offer any bribe and said it was also illegal. "I'm shocked. I have never heard of the state bribing people with R3 million. I have never heard of it, it's a lie. There is no budget of R3 million I have. Why would I even do that when the accused co-operated with me?," Gininda asked, further emphasising that Ntanzi had a defence by the name of Dominic Mjiyako. He claimed to have met him on the 23rd of June 2020, a day before the alleged second confession by Ntanzi before a magistrate. "I don't know how the instruction was made, or when Ntanzi met with Mjiyako but on the 23rd he stood up in court and said this is my attorney. The confession did not have blood stains. It doesn't have a single stain," said Gininda. The defence requested a transcribed version of the day Ntanzi pointed out Mjiyako as his defence. These proceedings will indicate whether Ntanzi was represented by Mjiyako on the 27 October during his first appearance.

Mngomezulu also accused the police of assaulting Ntanzi before he made the alleged confession after his arrest in June 2020. Ntanzi alleges he was assaulted at different locations and forced to sign the confession statement on 19 June 2020 and the second confession five days later. Gininda told the court that the confession was concluded by midday and that he did not see any sign of assault and that Ntanzi did not complain of being assaulted. "What I know is that there was an understanding between me and accused two that he was freely and voluntarily willing to make a confession to an independent officer. Subsequent to that, arrangements were made for a confession to be taken and it was indeed taken," Gininda told the court. A trial-within-a-trial is taking place to determine the admissibility of confession statements. Gininda is back on the stand this morning.