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Judge Orders Police to Testify in Meyiwa Trial, Defers Ruling on Disputed Zungu Statement

The court will first hear from officers accused of assaulting witness Sifiso "Gwabini" Zungu to determine whether his signed statement can be tested in cross-examination.

Overview

  • Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng invoked Section 186 of the Criminal Procedure Act to subpoena the officers alleged to have assaulted Zungu.
  • He said he cannot rule on the statement’s admissibility or permit cross-examination until that testimony is heard.
  • The trial was postponed to 19 January 2026 due to the judicial recess and to allow the state to call the officers.
  • Prosecutors argue Zungu’s 2019 statement is central to the case, while the defence says it was signed after alleged torture.
  • Zungu was absent for medical reasons, and earlier sessions faced heightened security after police reported threats to key state witnesses.